Cocoa Butter and Communion

Taking Leaps, Not Jumps with Angelique York

This week I am chatting with my friend and colleague, Angelique York. We talk about taking a leap, which is different than taking a jump in life and careers. 
Angelique York is a multifaceted individual. Sacramento native and Los Angeles resident, licensed clinical social worker, a MSW graduate of University of Southern California (USC) with a concentration in community, organization, and business innovation and holds a BA in Business management and a proud member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.  
Angelique’s journey has included  government service at county, state and federal level. She has participated, led and/or assisted with a wide range of projects which has included collaborating w/ government and community leaders through studying sex tourism and human trafficking in the Philippines. She also has had the honor to work within Child and family services within the Australian government. Angelique hold’s a lifelong passion in empowering girls of color to rise to the occasion of living to their fullest potential while disseminating negative stereotypes.
Angelique is not only a licensed therapist but an entrepreneur. Her newest and latest project has been owner and founder of Elevate Life Therapy & Consulting. a dynamic and transformative service that aims to elevate individuals to new levels of personal growth, well-being, and success. Elevate Life Therapy and Consulting is here to guide you on your journey towards a life elevated.
Outside of her professional life, she is intentional about self care, traveling domestically and internationally and spending time w/ her loved ones. She is an everlasting lover of Christ.
Angelique is getting back into reading, give her a few months :). 
I am reading "Gathering Blossoms Under Fire: The Journals of Alice Walker 
Like Natalie Cole, I have love on my mind. Angelique and I talk love songs and Aretha Franklin. 

Telling Jokes and Taking Chances with Comedian G.King

I love comedy and I have had conversations on this podcast with hilarious people. This episode, I am checking in with a hilarious person that has made his career by doing standup. On this week's episode, I chat with G. King about what it was like to take a leap without a safety net, his journey, and I get all in his business about his social life. PLUS...I realized that I could collaborate on writing skits. 
G. King is reading "The Art of Not Giving a F*uck" or he is hoping to read a little bit BUT I discovered he was a Tupac-storian like myself. 
School literature has my attention these days so I have been reading stacks of articles. 
G. King is from Vallejo and he names the songs that make him feel at home and E-40 is my guy. 
Follow G. King on IG (@g_kingcomic), Facebook (Comedian G-King), Twitter (@gking) for his content and show dates (brotha stays booked)
 

Growth and Insight with Lamarr Jackson

Hey Village! My guest today is my dear friend, Lamarr D. Jackson! Lamarr and I go way back like Shasta soda and I am so glad that he stopped by to share about being a big thinker, the encouragement to do so, owning land that is rightfully yours, lessons learned, raising daughters, and a rap career. 
Lamarr is a husband, a father, a Sacramento State graduate (go Hornets), a future school counselor (he is going to be a fantastic one), a farmer, a Sacramento native, and he aspires to be a rapper at 45 (as a true friend, I am encouraging him to do so...sorry Yvette). 
Lamarr is reading "Think Rich, Grow Rich" by Napoleon Hill. The song that got him hella hyped at school dances was "Poison" by Bell Biv DeVoe (the 90s) and "California Love" by Tupac, Dre, and Roger Troutman. 
I am reading "White Tears, Brown Scars" by Ruby Hamad and the song that got me hella hyped at middle school dances was anything by Bryan Adams because at that point, I knew it was time to go home. :) 
Follow the show on IG @cocoabutterandcommunion 
Don't forget to share why you dig the show! Send an email at cocoabutterandcommunion@gmail.com 

The Best Friend Files: Jessica is Here

We are celebrating one year of Cocoa Butter and Communion! That flew by, right? To help celebrate as a community, I would LOVE to hear your thoughts about the show and I will share them on a future episode of the podcast. Has Cocoa Butter and Communion impacted your life in any way? What has been your favorite episode? Has anything provided inspiration for you to have a conversation with your own village? What have you taken away? Please share it with me! I would love to share it with everyone! Email me at cocoabutterandcommunion@gmail.com or slide in the DMs on IG @cocoabutterandcommunion
It is bestie time and Jessica is back. As many of you know, Jessica is a show regular and it is always a good time... lots of laughter, love, and perspective sharing. On this show, she shares a playlist with me about what music makes her feel sexy. She found it hysterical what my choice was.  You all know that she means so much to me and I am thankful for her sisterhood. Jess is absolutely amazing and she is a dynamic human being. The village is good with her in it. 
Jessica N. Brown, MPH, is a public health professional specializing in public and mental healthprogram development and management. Her primary expertise is in program implementation andevaluation; strategic planning development; operationalizing racial equity and workforce initiatives,and community-based participatory research and administration.
With over 10 years of public and behavioral health experience, Ms. Brown has worked in varioushealth services such as genetic newborn screening, HIV prevention and surveillance, andcommunity behavioral health. Currently, she is serving as the Director for the San FranciscoDepartment of Public Health (SFDPH), Behavioral Health Services (BHS), Office of Justice, Equity,Diversity, and Inclusion (JEDI), where her responsibility is to oversee strategic planning, organization,implementation, and evaluation of equity and workforce programs across the SFDPH, BHS. AsDirector, she is responsible for integrating racial equity framework and policy throughout BHS whilemanaging various programs and projects, including cultural competency activities, ADA-relatedefforts, language services, staff, client and community communication; consumer relations; staffand community-based training, workforce development, employee engagement, staff wellness,and human resources projects for BHS.
Ms. Brown is also working with the San Francisco Human Rights Commission’s Office of Racial Equityon implementing the City’s Racial Equity Ordinance and serving on the HRC task force to developstrategies for reallocating police funding into Black/African American communities throughout SanFrancisco. Throughout her career, Ms. Brown has been committed to developing strategies toaddress health inequities that drastically impact Black/ African American and Latinx communities.She is dedicated to confronting the impact of racism and how it contributes to inadequatetreatment, misdiagnosis, and undervaluing of the trauma and pain of Black/African Americancommunities. Ms. Brown received her master’s degree in Public Health at San Jose State Universityand has committed her career to closing the gap in health and racial inequities.
 
 

Our Narratives with Rose-Stella Pierre-Louis

Episode 45 is here and it is with my girl, Rose-Stella! She is back y'all! Just as delightful as she wants to be. On this episode her and I chat about her family's origin story, the power of our narratives, lessons from mom, and of course hip hop. 
Rose-Stella Pierre-Louis is a Haitian-American mother, occupational therapist, speaker, author, and transformation coach for first-generation women entrepreneurs of Caribbean and African descent. She is the founder of Stellar Transformation, LLC. Her exclusive signature coaching program, Six Figure SoftLife - Stellar Transformation®️ Entrepreneur Experience offers a unique neuro-biology approach that supports purpose-driven business owners in implementing soul-care routines into their busy schedules and overcoming imposter syndrome, so they can have a lifestyle built around joy, ease and balance. Women who’ve experienced the Stellar Transformation®️ process unlearn inherited cultural beliefs and habits that keep them stuck in generational patterns of survival, to transform into the most fulfilled, authentic version of themselves and the most self expressed descendant in their lineage! Rose-Stella is a keynote and speaker on soul care for Black women, regulating the nervous system from racism induced stress, and entrepreneurship as a path to generational healing. She is passionate about helping women in prioritizing their wellbeing after meeting their cultural and family obligations.
Rose-Stella is reading "The Gospel of Hip Hop" by KRS One and the first hip hop song learned was "The Choice is Yours" by Black Sheep. 
You can access Rose-Stella's wonderful work and social media at her website, www.rosestella.com 
Follow Cocoa Butter and Communion on IG @cocoabutterandcommunion 

The Art of Storytelling with Imani Mitchell

(Cue Aaliyah's beat) It's been a long time, I shouldn't of left you... without a dope show to vibe to. But don't fret...I am back and the show is back. 
This week's episode is delightful and it is with the dear soul Imani Mitchell. Imani Mitchell is a multidisciplinary artist based in Northern California who specializes in writing, directing, and acting. For the past 10 years, she has worked as a professional actor and is the founder of the film production company IAM Studios. Authenticity in storytelling is crucial to Imani's work as an artist and she strives to produce projects that introduce new narratives and experiences.
Imani and I chat about community activism, her journey, the stories she is drawn to tell, and some parenting... her own parenting journey as well as her parents' influence on her. 
Check out Imani in her play "Clyde's" at the Capital Stage and check out her website www.imanimitchell.com 
 

The Kids are Alright: A Conversation with Yuriah Hughes

Hey Village! This week, I am chatting with my little cousin, 13 year old Yuriah Hughes. We chat about what it is like being a teenager these days, why she believes they get a bad rap, and what she wants adults to know. She also weighs in on who is the cooler adult, me or her mom and who makes the best fried chicken, me or her mom :). 
Yuriah is 13 years old and she just started the 8th grade. She is the middle child and only girl with two brothers. She was adopted at 1 month old and has a loving mother, who is awesome and a dad that works away a lot. Yuriah would describe herself as colorful, unusually kind and a girl that marches to her own beat. She loves getting to know people and striking up a conversation with just about anyone from a 3 year old at the playground to an 80 year old in the line at the pharmacy. 
She enjoys writing about her life and experiences as a teenager and reading young adult books. She is greatly into rainbows and unicorns. Her favorite food is fried chicken, she plays soccer competitively and she listens to alot of pop music. Her favorite artist currently is Selena Gomez. Yuriah loves music that touches the heart. She is passionate about her education and she takes pride in being genuinely kind and caring because she believes that we could use more of it in the world. She aspires to continue to be who she is, to know who she is, and to be proud of who she is. One day she hopes to be a child therapist, a teacher, and maybe even a singer.
Follow the show on IG @cocoabutterandcommunion 

Laying the Foundation with Alondra Thompson

Hey Village ALONDRA IS HERE!!!!! I didn't care what we talked about or if we talked at all. We could have sat and stared at each other for all I care. I just adore and love her that much. The good thing for everyone is that we did talk about her, what inspired her career path, her love for her grandma, and her children and grand baby. In addition to all of that, she shared her Tupac story, which captivates me every time I hear it (I have her tell it to me when she has the chance lol). Alondra has been an inspiration to me, she has guided me, loved on me, encouraged me, helped me... she is just everything. I wouldn't have gotten this far in my career without her love and support. I am so thankful. 
Alondra is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (doing all the things). In addition to that, she does a lot of work with a Behavioral Health Racial Equity Committee. 
Alondra is exploring "Women + Patterns + Plants: A Self-Care Coloring Book" by Sarina Mantle 
Alondra and I both talk about our love for Anthony Hamilton's "Best of Me" and Jill Scott. 
 

Healing and Liberation with Marilyn Julia Brown

Hey Village! As you all know I love a good book, an independent bookstore and making sure that the bookstore stays in business because we need them. One of our local bookstores needs our support. A Seat at the Table Books is a bookstore that sells books and gifts that are geared towards Black voices, people of color voices, queer voices, and all of the voices that are wrapped in all the intersectionalities. All Cocoa Butter and Communion listeners will receive 10% off of anything in the online store if you go to the website https://www.aseatatthetablebooks.org/ from NOW until August 16th (closes at 6 pm). Just use the promo code COCOACOMM at check out. Go shop until you drop. 
This week, I talk to my newest friend, Marilyn Julia Brown, who inspired me to go by Chioko Juliette (all of my government names) to honor my grandmother, just like she honors all of her grandmothers. Marilyn Julia is the epitome of grace and calmness and I am excited to share her with y'all. Her and I talk about the decolonization of mental health, global liberation, and connection. 
A little but about her, she is a licensed psychotherapist, registered yoga teacher, writer, musician, and energy healing practitioner that lives in Southern California. Marilyn firmly believes in the liberation of all beings and works specifically to liberate Black folks across the globe because she believes none of us are free until we are all free! Her offerings are culturally and LGBTQ+ affirming and Marilyn is committed to decolonizing the mental health field and wellness spaces to bring true equity across all marginalized populations. Marilyn utilizes her talents for writing, music, and speaking to cultivate spaces for healing and liberation. She firmly believes true healing must address the mind, body, and spirit and her mission is to connect each person her work touches to the powerful well of healing energy that lives within them to promote collective healing across the planet. 
Marilyn is reading: Healing Justice Lineages: Dreaming at the Crossroads of Liberation, Collective Care, and Safety by Cara Page and "Homecoming: Overcome Fear and Trauma to Reclaim Your Whole Authentic Self" by Thema Bryant 
I finished "The Love Songs of W.E.B. Du Bois" 
Marilyn's favorite decade of music is the 80s. I love it too. 
Contact Marilyn Julia: 
Email: marilyn@amindfulwaycounseling.com
Private psychotherapy practice virtually serving all of California!
A Mindful Way Counseling & Consulting
www.marilynjulia.com
www.amindfulwaycounselng.com
www.liberatedwell.com
Social Media
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@marilynjulia
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/marilynjulia_is/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/mindfulmarilyn
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@marilynjulia_is
Linked In: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marilynjulia/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/amindfulwaycounseling
Podcast: anchor.fm/blackmessymindful 
 

The Light that Shines Brightly- A Conversation with Chi Chi Anyanwu

Heeeyyyy we are at episode 40! This week I am bringing in the heat (literally and figuratively) with Chi Chi Anyanwu. We chat about names, the elders telling us lies, drinking wine and bourbon, being a Tik Tok star (Viola Davis knows her y'all), preparing ourselves for our kids leaving, parenting and some other stuff.  
A resident of Sacramento for over 28 years, Chinyere "Chi Chi" Anyanwu is a Los Angeles born, Bay area raised wife and mother of three Black children: one girl and two boys.  She is an avid lover of music, books, cocktails and a firm believer in having an established tribe of sister friends with whom one can relax, relate, and release.  Though she now refers to herself as “retired”, Chi-Chi is a forever dancer and has performed in faith-based and secular venues across the state…as well as on TikTok.  
Chi Chi is reading:
King Leopold's Ghost: A Story of Greed, Terror, and Heroism in Colonial Africa by Adam Hochschild
1968: The Year that Rocked the World by Mark Kurlansky
I am reading: 
The Love Songs of W.E.B. Du Bois (Still...its a big book)
In the summertime, Chi Chi listens to:
Jazz on vinyl (she is classy)
I love listening to songs about the summer in the summertime. Right now, it is still The Chicks "A Cold Day in July" and "Goodbye Earl" 
Go dance in some classes! Phyllis Cook teaches a Zumba class every Thursday at Mosaic. It's just $10! Also, check out the Sac Dance Lab's Afro Beats class.