The Spiritual Perspective

If you remember the amazing conversation we recently had with Edwin Raymond, you might recall the stories about his childhood friend 'Buffet'. Today we are joined by 'Buffet', whose real name is Jim St. Germain, to hear his inspiring story about arriving in the US from Haiti, and how he was able to transcend the harsh realities of unsafe neighborhoods and incarceration. His book, A Stone of Hope, has been personally recommended by Barrack Obama and his work in the community, with the PLOT, an organization he founded with Edwin, is nothing short of incredible. Jim tells us about how he had to learn the ways of the street in order to survive, the legal troubles this led to, and the experiences he had in the juvenile penal system. He makes sure to underline the importance of the mentors he was lucky enough to meet on his journey and his story is such a great example of what is possible with the right role models. Jim was able to complete a master's degree in public administration, which led to his community work in nurturing future leaders from difficult circumstances. Jim has faced many trials and has overcome an enormous amount of adversity and is another reminder of using the biggest obstacle in one's life as a means to find purpose. Be sure to listen in with us today to hear it all!Key Points From This Episode:Memories of beautiful Haiti, makeshift soccer games, and flying kites.Jim's first jobs running errands in his neighborhood and collecting fares.Lessons that Jim learned early about what it means to be in survival mode. The period leading up to Jim's move to the US and the work that his grandfather did as a butcher. Experiences arriving in New York and encountering a shocking new environment without English. How Jim adapted to a harsh situation and learned what it took to survive. Differences in food practices in the US; Jim's amazement upon arriving.How poverty punishes families twice —  disempowerment and suffering.The street code that Jim adopted and the realizations that he had about a proactive approach.  Jim's brother, 'Butter', and the differences between their personalities. The skills that Jim developed around reading people quickly.Where the nickname 'Buffett' came from and its meaning. The array of jobs and hustles that Jim did; dry-cleaning, selling weed, shoveling snow, and more!Run-ins with cops, tactics on the corner, and evading arrest.Jim's first detention sentence and the luck he had with people he met in the system. Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:Light WatkinsJim St. Germain on TwitterPLOTA Stone of HopeEdwin RaymondHome AloneThe WireMayor BloombergGoverner CuomoJust MercyThe PactThe Autobiography of Malcolm XSend us a text message. We'd love to hear from you!

Click here for full episode transcript.Episode 22: Show Notes.“Manifest the life that you want with the power of your words. When you raise your vibration with gentle words and encouraging thoughts, positive changes occur.” This is what the landing page of the WORDAFUL Community website says, and today’s episode is all about the power of words. Today’s guest is Liz Hernandez, a Mexican American Emmy-nominated television personality and journalist, and the founder of WORDAFUL. Liz grew up in San Diego as a self-described radio nerd, with parents who always taught her about the power of words. Years later, Liz became the co-host of one of the most popular shows on one of the biggest radio stations in Southern California, which led to a series of other very prominent hosting positions on channels like MTV and Access Hollywood. Then, her mother was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s. Liz took some time off from hosting to help care for her mom. Just before she passed, Liz's mom lost 95% of her speech, but her positive spirit and limited speech inspired Liz to gain a new appreciation for the power of everyday words and the lessons that they can teach us. Liz started WORDAFUL, a company that has grown into a thriving community with a large online presence. In this episode, Liz shares a bit about her process, starting with how she grew up, how she landed a coveted position at Power 106, and why the word ‘Canada’ has a special significance for her. Of course, she also shares how she found her way to creating WORDAFUL and all of the obstacles she had to overcome along the way. Tune in today! Key Points From This Episode:•    Liz’s favorite toy or activity as a kid was a talking doll named Julie, or riding her BMX bicycle.•    Hear Liz talk about her family home and her childhood – full of people, cooking, and love.•    Liz says that her parents are the main reason she started WORDAFUL, because they always used words to empower her.•    Liz discovered radio in college and her parents encouraged her to do what made her happy.•    Liz describes herself as a radio nerd – she always loved radio, and she fell into it naturally.•    When co-hosting a radio show in college, Liz says reading the news was the hardest part.•    Why the word ‘Canada’ holds a special significance for Liz, and how she made it to LA.•    We think we need to be like those who came before us, but Liz believe that we win when we are ourselves – people relate to authenticity.•    Liz reflects on her ten years with Big Boy at Power 106, summarizing it as the time of her life.•    From radio to television with MTV – Liz got an agent, and had experience with a teleprompter.•    In Liz’s first few months at Access Hollywood, her mother was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s.•    Liz’s experience of looking after her mother as a primary caregiver while still working full-time.•    Some of the warning signs of Alzheimer’s – forgetfulness, repeating themselves, suspicion.•    Gratitude and support have been important Liz’s life and have helped her through hard times.•    Meeting Oprah, how it helped move Liz’s career forward, and the genesis of WORDAFUL.•    Starting WORDAFUL from her tiny studio apartment – it was a collaborative effort.•    From videos to live events, Liz did WORDAFUL out of necessity for herself, not for money.•    Watching her mother lose her words made Liz not want to be reckless with her own.•    Liz encourages listeners to have the conversation with parents abouSend us a text message. We'd love to hear from you!

Today, we have an experimental episode in store. Having had some amazing guests on the show who have told us their backstories and shared with us their inspirations, why limit them to those that still walk the earth today? One of the historical figures that are very intriguing is Frederick Douglass, an abolitionist that was born a slave, who eventually became one of the most prominent abolitionists at his time, even heralded as the most famous Black man in the world, and the most photographed person in all of America in the 1800s. To share Douglass’ fascinating life story, today’s guest is Professor David W. Blight, the world’s foremost expert on the life of Frederick Douglass. He is the author of the Pulitzer Prize-winning Douglass biography, Frederick Douglass: Prophet of Freedom, which combines stories and insights, drawing from a repository of Douglass’ letters and papers from the latter third of his life, which have not previously been written about. David is the Sterling Professor of African American studies and the director of the Guider Lehrman Center for the Study of Slavery, Resistance, and Abolition at Yale University, not to mention an award-winning author of seven other books, plus multiple op-eds. In this episode, Professor David Blight shares a bit about his personal relationship with Black history and what attracted him to Frederick Douglass, and goes on to share Douglass’ story, from the reinvention of his life out of human bondage, to discovering the power of language, and becoming a speaker during the golden age of oratory as performance, to his rise to stardom after writing his books, his mastery of multiple witting styles, and his declining mental health. David also explains the relationship Douglass had with his wife and his family, his foray into writing history, and his problem with the pleasures and perils of fame, as well as the legacy he has left us in his words. Tune in today!Key Points From This Episode:David kicks things off by speaking about his anticipated reception of Prophet of Freedom.The appetite for good history, what good history is – it tells a good story, it’s well-researched.David desires to reach real people who want to understand the essential threat of slavery.David talks about the influence that his teachers and historical sites had on him as a child.The narratives in Bruce Catton’s books factored into igniting David’s fascination with history.David first encountered Black history in college, after which he taught it in high school.What attracted David to Frederick Douglass – he realized that slavery, the civil war, and abolition are the essential threats of American history.David was attracted to both the importance of the subject and the story embedded in it.Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:David Blight on TwitterDavid Blight on FacebookDavid BlightFrederick Douglass: Prophet of FreedomDavid Blight BooksDavid Blight on AmazonFrom Slavery to FreedomSend us a text message. We'd love to hear from you!

Online health platforms were already on the rise before the pandemic of 2020, but we have seen a sharp uptick in the utilization of video classes and communities since quarantines have kicked in. One such community was built by Adriene Mishler, and had humble beginnings as a yoga class hosted on YouTube in the early 2010s. 'Yoga with Adriene' grew steadily after a slow start, and by the time 2020 came around Adriene was the highest searched yoga content on the internet! She has built a huge community which she helps instruct from her living room. To give you an idea of her impact, she has been called 'the Mr. Rogers of yoga'! Having been born into a theatre family, Adriene has a lifelong passion for performance and connection to an audience. We hear from her about her earliest memories of the theatre, how this grew into a career in acting, and how this career led her to pursue teaching yoga. Constantly juggling a number of intense projects has kept Adriene on the go from a young age, and it is only through her consistency and a deep desire that she has made it through challenging times and reaped the rewards of the hard work. We see how her authenticity led to the videos she was publishing eventually catching fire, to the point where she now has 7 million subscribers on YouTube, with over 600 million views on her channel! This is a beautifully meandering conversation about this process of growth, the obstacles that Adriene encountered, and the lessons she learned along the way. Adriene talks about the role of her angels in the journey and what it means to contribute to the future of yoga! Listen in with us today for this amazing conversation!Key Points From This Episode:Adriene's childhood memories of the theatre — set creation, imaginary games, and more!Looking back at Adriene's younger years; feelings of gratitude and being blessed.Lessons from Adriene's parents — things she carries forward with her to this day.The desire to create and perform and Adriene's aspirations at different times.Early days working in a company and the experience of real nerves and fear.The important relationships and settings for Adriene in her later teen years.Spiritualism and religion among Adriene's family and peers.The events and feelings that led to signing up at a yoga studio.  Hunger and poise; Adriene's mental state entering into adulthood.Adriene's thoughts going into yoga teacher training — a side hustle amid a busy schedule.The day that Adriene found a meaningful mentor for her yoga practice.Lessons that Adriene learned spending time teaching yoga to children.  The parts of teaching adult yoga classes that Adriene enjoyed the most.Maintaining acting work in plays and film; Adriene's dedication and hard work! The Austin film scene — the beginnings of something special for Adriene.  Adriene's important relationship with Chris Sharpe and the fruits of this connection. Thoughts on the sanctity of yoga and bringing this into an online space. The first forays that Adriene and Chris made into filming for her YouTube channel. Feelings of growth and watching the numbers go up after a quiet start. Finding a voice in teaching and the stages of improvement Adriene experienced. Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:Light WatkinsYoga with AdrieneAdriene Mishler on TwitterFWFG KulaSend us a text message. We'd love to hear from you!

Although the issue of police brutality and racial profiling has been prevalent for decades, in many ways, 2020 will be remembered as the year in which the levee broke. Here on the show with us today is Edwin Raymond, someone who is positioned better than anyone to speak on the systems of law enforcement, the problems we see, the limitations on officers, and the action that is needed on so many levels to course-correct. Having grown up in and around the most dangerous parts of New York City, Edwin was on the receiving end of police harassment and profiling, but when he encountered a family friend who was in the force, his strict moral compass implored him to try and fix the problems from the inside — he became a police officer himself. Edwin admits to a level of naïveté and hopefulness that was whittled down over time. From monthly quotas and the targeting of lower-income communities to the systemic racism that is deeply rooted in the history of policing, Edwin's efforts to combat injustice in the police department did more to ostracize him than change practices. In our conversation with Edwin, we hear the path that he took in response to what might have appeared a hopeless scenario, speaking out and publicizing the rampant problems facing society through policing practices. For all this and a vital story from a fearless warrior, be sure to listen in with us today!Key Points From This Episode:Edwin's childhood love of drawing and the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. Experiences growing up in the projects, close to 'The Front Page'. Family life for Edwin, the death of his mother at a young age, and his father's depression. Edwin and his brother's fear of the weekend and the associated feelings of hunger.The Abner Louima brutality case and how Edwin struggled to process this reality. Getting work at a grocery store at the age of 12; staying out of gang activity and crime. Edwin's internal moral compass from a young age and his conception of right and wrong. Career aspirations, dreams of architecture, and increasing harassment by police during adolescence. The impactful experience that Edwin had meeting a cop who he knew.Reading material that Edwin started to consume at the end of his teenage years. Edwin's thoughts on destiny, autonomy, and his personal mission. Connecting with Eric Adams; how this relationship aided and supported Edwin's mission. The resistance that Edwin encountered upon entering the police force.Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:Light WatkinsEdwin RaymondPLOT'A Black Police Officer's Fight Against the N.Y.P.D.''I Got Tired of Hunting Black and Hispanic People'Edwin Raymond on TwitterEdwin Raymond on InstagramAbner LouimaPulp Fiction New York Times Street FighterDestruction of Black CivilizationSend us a text message. We'd love to hear from you!

An amazing career path does not have a set shape or direction and the limitations that external expectations put on our hopes for ourselves can stunt the blossoming of the most unlikely of flowers. Ava DuVernay is a priceless example of this! She joins us on the podcast today to share her amazing and surprising story and all the twists and turns that have led her to the highly regarded position she currently occupies, and more importantly, where she is able to create her own definition of success — which looks quite different than it used to! In our inspiring and honest conversation, Ava unpacks the important family relationships that shaped her world view, the impact of her college years at UCLA, and the formative experiences she had in the hip hop scene centered around the Good Life Cafe. After carving out an enviable career in publicity and building an agency, Ava began work on a side-project, exploring her childhood passion for story-telling, and this foray into filmmaking grew and grew — in ways that even Ava could not have expected. With so many impressive and vital films under her belt already, we cannot wait to see what she has in store for us next, join us to hear it all!Key Points From This Episode:Ava's love of playing with Barbies with her sisters and the early form of world-building this fostered. Family dynamics growing up and Ava's role as the oldest sibling. Ava's early thoughts on careers and the gift that reflected these aspirations. Childhood associations with Hollywood and the importance of arts and culture. The first movie and music group that Ava fell in love with!Ava's early connection to U2 and the amazing meetings and communications she has shared with Bono!Family traits that Ava has inherited; storytelling, hard work, and responsibility.Neighborhood politics and the radical action that Ava witnessed from a young age.Ava's college years, her decision to attend UCLA. The post-college period and the steps that Ava took into publicity business. The reputation that Ava built up and what she became known for in her work.  Ava's journey towards a healthier sense of balance in her life.The effect of the terminal diagnosis that Ava's aunt Denise received. Ava's moment of realization on the set of Michael Mann's Collateral. The beginnings of Ava's filmmaking career and how she started small. Send us a text message. We'd love to hear from you!

The path to self-discovery and self-love is not often a straight one and the theme of our winding journeys as humans is a common one on this podcast. Today's episode underlines this idea, as we are joined by poet, Diego Perez, who is more commonly known as Yung Pueblo. He is the author of the widely acclaimed collection of poems, Inward, and has grown a notable online following, starting from humble beginnings to an Instagram account that is has amassed almost a million followers! In our conversation, we take the scenic route through Diego's life, looking at his childhood in Ecuador, his family's move to the US, and how his public schooling in Boston impacted his worldview. Diego then takes us through the difficulties he experienced during his early adult life, falling into bad habits and drug use while at college as a means to escape his feelings. It took some time, but after Diego hit what he felt was rock bottom, he began on a path to recovery, healthier practices, and a life filled with radical honesty. He talks about what this looked like for him and the important steps in the process, with a big emphasis on meditation. From there, we get into his writing process, how he started out as an online poet, and the way he published his first book. This conversation is truly not to be missed!Key Points From This Episode:Diego's younger years in Guayaquil, Ecuador, and his favorite toys that he remembers. Family life for Diego growing up and the difficult experience of poverty. Diego's schooling and the cultural richness of attending Boston public schools.Interests that Diego fostered in high school and his ideas of getting out of poverty. Spanish at home, English in public — how the family adapted to American culture.Diego's college application process, hustling for vouchers, and eventually getting a scholarship. The implicit values that were associated with Diego's martial arts practice. How learned repression and avoidant tendencies led to unhealthy habits and drug abuse.Difficult years post-graduation and the moment when Diego hit rock bottom. Diego's adoption of healthier practices and a radically honest lifestyle. The move to Portland and the steps that led up to Diego's first Vipassana course.The fear that Diego experienced arriving and starting a ten-day meditation retreat.Feelings that came up during the process that led to a breakthrough for Diego. Diego's return to Boston and the changes that he began to implement in his life. Moving to New York City and focussing on writing, while continuing important healing and learning. Diego's first forays into posting poetry on Instagram and his thinking around this time.Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:Yung Pueblo on InstagramInwardClarity and ConnectionYung Pueblo on TwitterDragon Ball ZWesleyan UniversityBarnes and NobleTufts UniversityBhagavad GitaYouth Against Mass IncarcerationMichelle AlSend us a text message. We'd love to hear from you!

Brain disease often starts decades before the diagnosis, and if only people knew that the foods they put in their body can either make or break a healthy brain, they would make different choices. Today’s guest is Max Lugavere, author of Genius Foods and The Genius Life, here to talk about the journey that led him to his life’s purpose – helping people truly understand nutrition. Max had been on track to becoming a television star, yet little did he know, he was being divinely groomed to challenge the traditional healthcare system, where they treat symptoms more than the root of an illness. We hear about Max’s fascination with the idea of becoming superhuman, and he takes us through the manifestations of this interest in his early forays into health science. Max shares about his experiences at university, getting into film and documenting ‘peak experiences’, and how this led to him and his best friend working as Current TV presenters for six years. Around this time, Max’s mother was diagnosed with a neurodegenerative condition, and he left everything behind to find out all he could to help her. For an inspiring conversation about asking questions and realizing that everything in life is grooming you for your purpose, be sure to tune in.Key Points From This Episode:Max’s childhood fascination with Exosquad toys the themes that drew him to them.Having a lifelong interest in the body and ideas of frailty and health optimization.Eating a ‘healthy’ childhood diet restricted by the limits of Max’s mom’s idea of healthy food.How Max discovered healthier eating and diet types as a teenager in chat groups.Meeting Jason Silva, getting into filmmaking and spiritual hedonism; Max’s student days in Miami.Making Textures of Selfhood and how Jason and Max got content creator jobs for Current TV.Lessons learned about authenticity and storytelling while at Current TV for six years.Max’s music practice, YouTube videos, and the idea of practicing to get better at something.How Max shifted from film and music to wellness after his mom was diagnosed with a neurodegenerative condition.The different elite health facilities Max and his family consulted to get a clear diagnosis.The problem with doctors and how Max used his prior skills and knowledge to help his mom himself.Max’s decision to make a documentary film about his experiences and process of researching for answers.Big discoveries Max made in his research such as dementia beginning decades before its symptoms.Send us a text message. We'd love to hear from you!

Food apartheid is different from a food desert because it is man-made, and the lack of availability of healthy food disproportionately affects communities of color. This week’s guest is somebody who's working toward eliminating what she calls the food apartheid. Olympia Auset has made it her mission to find solutions to America’s food deserts, which are communities that lack access to affordable, high-quality, fresh foods. Olympia was vegan and living in a food desert herself. Because she didn't have a car, she would find herself having to spend hours on the bus just to get to the grocery store on the other side of town that carried the higher quality produce. After taking several of these trips, Olympia realized that she was the change she was waiting for, and that was when she started working with local farmers to create an oasis in the middle of her own food desert, which she called Süprmarkt. Over the last five years, Süprmarkt has distributed more than 70,000 pounds of fresh fruit and vegetables. What's remarkable is Olympia started without even having a table to sell the produce on. To date, she still doesn't have a car or a cellphone. After raising close to $90,000 in a crowdfunding campaign, she's now in escrow to purchase a brick and mortar location for Süprmarkt, which is going to help her create a centralized location for the community to gather and share in her mission of making healthy, fresh foods and meals available to all. Tune in to find out more about Olympia’s story today!Key Points From This Episode:Olympia describes her favorite game as a child, based on the TV show, Charmed.What childhood was like for Olympia being an imaginative only child.Olympia’s numerous dreams for what she wanted to be when she grew up.How Olympia’s great teachers encouraged her and taught her about systemic racism.Olympia’s relationship with plants, food, and urban agriculture started in universityHow Olympia chose to attend Howard University and create her own application.Olympia shares a bit about the Thursday night power study group she attended at Howard.Going vegan in her freshman year at college and what it taught her about population control.The biggest challenge of going vegan for Olympia: The options available in the cafeteria.Olympia’s early concept of success: Sharing information and creating meaningful change.Starting The GOYS Life as a one-stop shop for awakening.Olympia’s experience of doing odd jobs while she built The GOYS Life and Süprmarkt.From volunteering at The Shine to starting Süprmarkt – Olympia shares her inspiration.A food desert versus a food apartheid – one is naturally occurring, the other is man-made.Starting Süprmarkt with friends and having their first public event with just $100.Olympia’s present definition of success including eradicating food apartheid by 2040.Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:Olympia Auset on LinkedInSüprmarktSüprmarkt on TwitterSüprmarkt on InstagramSüprmarkt on FacebookSüprmarkt on YouTubeThe GOYS LifeThe Shine MovementKeep Slauson FreshDonate to SüprmarktSend us a text message. We'd love to hear from you!

Deciding to change your life is difficult because it means you have to accept total responsibility for your actions and the situation you find yourself in. While this can feel frightening, it is equally as liberating because you know you have the power to turn things around. Today's guest, Robert Glover, known as Brix, is a health and fitness YouTuber, whose vulnerability and transparency about the difficult journey he is been on to better himself has inspired countless people. In this episode, we hear about Brix’s life, from childhood and some of the trauma he faced to going to college and gaining a lot of weight. He also shares the story of how a felony charge followed by the passing of a close friend finally caused him to take stock, which he had avoided for years. Despite having fallen off the weight loss wagon multiple times before, Brix knew that March 1st, 2013 was the day things would finally shift for good. We learn about the inner transformation the accompanied Brix’s physical one, and the realization that he had about the suffering he was inflicting on himself. Rather than beating himself up for the countless mistakes he’s made, Brix believes that he's faced these obstacles to get closer to his purpose of helping others and spreading the light. His story is not only incredibly motivational and hope-filled, but it’s an example of what happens when you show up for yourself day in and day out. To hear more, be sure to tune in today!  Key Points From This Episode:Hear about Robert’s favorite childhood toys and growing up in Brownsville and Germany.Memories from Brix’s childhood, including gang activity and his relationship to food.What happened when Brix had unlimited access to food for the first time in his life in college.The moment when Brix realized that he had gained 150 pounds.How Brix overcompensated for his weight gain.Brix’s relationship with his ex-wife and some of the insecurities he had in the marriage.Hear more about Brix’s run-in with the law that happened outside a Foot Locker.What happened on Brix’s sentencing day and the haunting words from the judge.Brix’s confessional video before and after sentencing and his relationship with vlogging.How the felony charge and the passing of a close friend caused Brix to change his life.Why Brix decided to put his newfound energy into losing weight.The strong vision that Brix had to share his weight loss story with others to help them.The motivation behind recording ‘fat Brix’ shirtless at the start of his weight loss journey.Send us a text message. We'd love to hear from you!