People Interacting with People

In this episode, I sit down in conversation with Kesha in Atlanta. We had a very serendipitous meeting when I sat down at the bar where she works after visiting Gadsden, Alabama where my friend, Madeleine, was arrested for her participation in a Freedom Walk alongside Martin Luther King Jr. Before I could share this, Kesha was telling me about the podcast she wants to create which spotlights white people who have put their lives and reputations on the line in support of civil rights and equality. How about that for serendipity and synchronicity. We talk about this and more in this episode.

In this episode, I sit down with Destiny who lives and works in Florida. Destiny and I met at the Fort Lauderdale Airport earlier this year and discovered we had a few things in common including being born and raised in Toronto. We stayed in touch with the intention of connecting again and sat down at her condo in Miami a little while ago to talk about her business selling real estate, her experience selling luxury cars and the reality show she is creating around that, her music career, working with celebrities, and we even touch on our experiences with both Canada and Mexico's health care systems.

In this episode, I continue my conversation with Anna who tells me about some of her artistic endeavours which include having a published book, writing for a documentary, and creating music. We talk about the need to be selfish and find the right support while pursing these creative things. Anna also shares her perspectives about raising a daughter, understanding Black men, the dynamics of the Black family, and having the "Black Talk".

In this episode, I sit down with Anna in Fort Lauderdale, Florida to chat with her about the work she does to bring more political power to the people, her views on the NAACP advisories that are still coming out today for Black people and People of Color traveling to various parts of the US, and some of the knowledge she has about housing. Anna and I are getting to know each other during this conversation so I do my best to answer the questions she has for me too. We talk about "Karens" and white women in America, white platforms that are used to benefit from the struggle of Black people, racial construct, and talking to strangers.

In this episode, I continue my conversation with Gordon. We talk about money, power, his experience listening to a broad range of Rap music, his theory when it comes to the representation of the Black family on TV in the 60s & 70s and how this mirrored reality. To see photos of my guests, check out my Instagram page @pipsperspective

In this episode, I sit down with Gordon after meeting him just a couple of days before and chatting for hours. Gordon is from a small town in Georgia, has served in Iraq, has been incarcerated or "in the chain gang", and has a very interesting perspective when it comes to the Black experience. To see photos of my guests, check out my Instagram page @pipsperspective

In this episode, I continue my conversation with Danny who tells me about his five minutes of fame singing with his all time favourite group at the Apollo Theater, his singing career, and a few of the not-so-nice encounters he had with police as a kid growing up in Harlem and the Bronx in the 70's & 80s. To see photos of Danny, check out my Instagram page @pipsperspective

In this episode, I sit down with Danny - aka MC Ski Jump - to talk about his experience coming up as one of the First Generation B-Boys in the Bronx. Danny - who I met by chance when I got lost driving through Fayetteville, North Carolina last year - came up with the likes of Grandmaster Flash and also originated some of those break dance moves we still see today. Stay tuned for next week's episode when Danny tells me all about how he became "Mr. D" and about his five minutes of fame singing with his favourite group of all time at the Apollo Theatre. To see photos of Danny, check out my Instagram page @pipsperspective

In part two of my conversation with Artis, we talk about living in your authenticity, Artis performs some of his poetry - including one about living as a "same-gender-loving male" which leads to a longer discussion about this - and we talk about how being blessed still comes with its bullshit. Artis has written over 600 Haikus - some of which he shares with me - and has over 1000 poems compiled in a series of books he is writing. And he's doing great things as an arts activist and curator in his local community in DC. You can find him on IG @art.isempowerment or @djart.is or @art.ispoet To see photos of Artis and I, head to my IG @pipsperspective

In this episode, I sit down with Artis - aka DJ ART.IS - in DC to talk about what art is, learning to pivot when things don't go according to plan, planting seeds when it comes to relationships, finding your tribe, and saying YES to opportunities. Artis is a DJ, a Poet, and an Art Activist curating many events for emerging artists in and around DC. In this first part of our conversation, he shares what he has learned about himself and about life in the arts. In part two, coming next week, we talk about his poetry, Artis performs some of this poetry, and he also shares with me what his experience has been like as a same-gender-loving male. Stay tuned... To see photos of Artis and I, check out my Instagram page @pipsperspective

In this second part of my conversation with DeMar, he tells me about Santeria, the spiritual practice he discovered while in Federal Prison and one he attributes to helping him to never go back. It's such a great story and DeMar is an amazing storyteller! Also a talented rapper known as "Fly Guy Impulse", we talk about DeMar's music - how he wrote his first raps while incarcerated and about his beautifully sad song, Lost Souls, written while in Federal Prison about what it's like to be incarcerated. And we shoot the shit a bit about how we first met and what it's like to make a music video on the fly. To see photos of me and DeMar, check out my Instagram page at @pipsperspective

In this first episode of Season 3, I sit down near Catskill, New York where I met this next guest last year. DeMar, who was shooting a music video at the time, had been released from Federal Prison just a couple of years before we met. First incarcerated at the age of 12, and having spent 14 of his last 26 years in jail or prison, 38-year-old DeMar shares his journey and experiences with me. He opens up about the police brutality he has experienced, what life was like for him in prison, the trauma he still has from his time in incarceration, how he is reintegrating back into what he calls "the free world", and he also shares his views on the prison system. Tune in to part 2 of my conversation with DeMar where he tells me about the spiritual practice he discovered during his last sentence in Federal Prison, and the song he wrote inside about what it's like to be incarcerated. To see photos of DeMar & I in conversation - check out my Instagram page @pipsperspective

IN this clip, meet Mac in North Carolina, Allison in Atlanta, and George in New York. Episode 2 Season 1: Mac and I met at Toronto Airport when I was living there for nine days. He was a flight attendant working in private aviation who was 'stationed' at the Sheraton Hotel there for a month. Upon learning I was sleeping on a bench in one of the departure lounges, he very kindly offered me his hotel room while he was in flight. We remember this story, talk about his job in private aviation, heart health, and his new restaurant. Episode 3 Season 1: Allison and I met in Las Vegas in 2017. She works for the government parks departments so has lived in many states around the US so has some interesting views about racism in the US. We talk about her love of the outdoors, travel, what it means to be a vegan, yoga, crystals and she tells me about buying her first home. Episode 8 Season 2: George and I met when I walked into his juice shop in Catskill, New York. He tells me about how he started his business, serving his community, and clean living. All episodes are easily searched by name.

In this clip, meet Damien in Kentucky, Namel in Harlem, and Fferé in DC. Episode 4 Season 1: Damien and I met at the Fort Campbell, Kentucky Army Base. He volunteered to come on the podcast to tell me about the challenges he faces and privilege he has as a fair-skinned Black man. We talk about the N-Word, the Bronx, and more in our episode. Episode 6 Season 2: Namel and I met on the sidewalk in Harlem in 2016. He told me about his Hip Hop duo called Four Wheel City. Namel has been in a wheelchair since 1999 after being paralyzed by a bullet shot from a gun he loaded. We talk about this, about his music, his view on guns, and when he worked with Snoop Dogg and Yo Gotti. Episode 3 Season 2: Fferé and I met at a gay bar in DC in May. He comes on the podcast with his friend Maya to talk about his rap music, his view on politics and the Black Community, living in DC and more. We have so much fun! All episodes are easily searched by name.

In this clip, meet Jerry in New York, Alex in Las Vegas, Quatae in DC and Lisa in DC. Episode 7 Season 2: Jerry and I met on an overnight bus from Toronto to New York in 2016 where we chatted through the night and Jerry shared his life story with me. This young man, at just 21, had already been through so much. And six years later, he shares more of his story with me including a terrible run-in with police and the joy of having a son. Episode 8 Season 1: Alex and I met in Las Vegas in 2017 when I was there filming a documentary about the boxing and the arts. Alex is a professional boxer who was the amateur champ when we met. We talk all things boxing. Episode 4 Season 2: Quatae and I met at a poetry event this past summer and when I discovered he was a hypnotherapist, I reached out for a session. We sit down a few days later to discuss my experience, hypnotherapy, sound healing, generational trauma, and magic! Episode 2 Season 2: Lisa and I met at the same poetry event in DC this summer. When I heard her poem about the ancestors, I immediately invited her to come on the podcast to share it. It's powerful stuff. Lisa is also a rapper so I get to hear some of her latest music too. All episodes are easily found by name.

IN this clip, meet Marq in Las Vegas, Dominion in DC, Maya in DC, and Daijon in Las Vegas. Episode 6 Season 1: Marq and I met when I was sleeping I my car in Vegas. It turns out he's a talented musical artist and vocalist from Milwaukee who goes by the name MILLI3K. We talk music, Vegas, Milwaukee and why colour matters. Episode 1 Season 2: Dominion and I met when I happened to walk past the Hip Hip Museum in DC this May. We had such an instant connection so I drove back through a few days later to support him at a music gig and get him on the podcast. We talk content creation, christianity, and the multi tasking mind. Episode 3 Season 2: Maya and I met at a Gay Bar in DC. I sit down on the podcast with her and her friend, Fferé - my first threesome - to talk music, alter egos, DC, politics and all sorts of fun stuff. Episode 7 Season 1: Daijon and I met in Vegas in 2017, shortly after the Mandalay Bay shooting. Daijon was working at the Mandalay Bay that night. We talk violence in America, boxing, and he tells me all about his love of comic books. All episodes are easily searched by name.

In this clip, meet Aleathia in New York, Myles in LA, Judith in New Jersey & Kerric in Las Vegas. Episode 5 Season 2: Aleathia and I met while walking down the street in the Bronx. She is the creator of a movement to bring awareness to and change the narrative around bareheaded beauty. As she calls it "Hair Freedom". We talk about this and so much more in our episode. Episode 10 Season 1: Myles and I met over social media during the pandemic. He discovered drag during this time and is now a full-fledged Drag Queen in LA. Tune in to hear more about this journey. Episode 1 Season 1: Judith and I met in Harlem when she had a sales stand at Lennox and 125th. She now has her own shop in New Jersey where we sit down and have my very first conversation on the podcast about metaphysical healing, new motherhood, white privilege and so much more. Episode 9 Season 2: Kerric and I met in Las Vegas. We sit down and chat about everything from Fear to Living Mathematics and more. All episodes are easily searched by name.

In this clip, meet Cat in the Bronx, Dray in Las Vegas, Leka in New York, and Kumei in Las Vegas. Episode 9 Season 2: Cat and I met through a mutual friend this summer in New York. She is my soul sister, my Taurean twin, a Minister, and Host of a TV Show called "The Next Chapter" in which she discusses "shades of grey". Episode 5 Season 1: Dray and I met in Las Vegas in 2017. He is one of the pioneers of the Las Vegas Arts Scene and an incredibly talented artist. Did you know that the Vegas Arts Scene was born out of Hip Hop? Episode 10 Season 2: Leka and I met by chance in Catskill this summer. He is a Duty Officer and Youth Counsellor at a Boys' Maximum Security Prison in New York. He also tells me a story about how he almost played Major League Baseball. Episode 9 Season 2: Kumei and I met when I walked into her shop in Downtown Las Vegas. She is a 14-year-old activist with her own business. It's amazing. All episodes are easily searched by name.

In this episode, I sit down with my new friend, Leka at his home in Catskill, New York. Leka and I met through a mutual friend and, following a few conversations about his life, I invited him to come on the podcast. Leka works as a Youth Counsellor and Duty Officer at a Boys' Maximum Security Prison in New York. We talk about the love he has for his job, his three daughters, and the importance of family. We also have a very serious conversation about guns and gun ownership in New York as well as Leka's vision for healing male trauma. And he caps it all off with a story about his short stint playing Catcher in the bullpen of a Minor League Baseball team and how his dream of playing in the Majors came to an end and led him to where he is now. We hope you enjoy our episode. To see photos of Leka, check us out at: https://www.instagram.com/peopleinteractingwithpeople/

In this episode, I sit down with my new friend, and "Taurean Twin", Cat at her apartment in the Bronx. Cat tells me about how she feels about the Bronx, how she became a Minister at the age of ten, what she learned from the Jehovah's Witnesses, and how divinely guided her life has been. We talk about recognizing trauma, doing the work towards healing and self-love, and how this relates to Black families in particular. Oh, and we share a few laughs too. We hope you enjoy our episode. To see photos of Cat, check us out at: https://www.instagram.com/peopleinteractingwithpeople/