The Letters and Layers Podcast

On this episode of The Letters & Layers, Podcast, I share my review of Hulu's new show All's Fair, and talk about the concept of the 10-year overnight success. I share some examples and honorable mentions that are meant to remind us that often the people we see in the spotlight have worked years to get to where they are and if you believe in what your doing, know that time is on your side. I hope you listen to the end.I've re-lauched my Youtube channel! Subscribe and support! Link: https://www.youtube.com/@mylettersandlayers/videosAs always, please share and recommend, and thank you so much for the support!EMAIL: contact@thelettersandlayers.comNew podcast Instagram! @thelettersandlayerspod. Give us a follow!I appreciate you!

It's November!The holiday season is upon us, and that can mean more socializing and being out more with friends and family. I had to do some personal reframing for myself last weekend as someone who struggled with friendships when younger, but has done the work to build a community over the years. The cost of maintaining friendships is time and energy, and 9 times out of 10, it is always worth it. I also share a gentle reminder around the benefits of regular hydration. Daily adequate water intake is so important yet not encouraged enough, but is essential to so may bodily functions, and can often be the reason why we don't feel our best. I hope you listen to the end. Thank you again to the Black Podcasting Association for awarding TLLP the Best Personal Development Podcast of 2025!I've re-lauched my Youtube channel! Subscribe and support! Link: https://www.youtube.com/@mylettersandlayers/videosAs always, please share and recommend, and thank you so much for the support!EMAIL: contact@thelettersandlayers.comNew podcast Instagram! @thelettersandlayerspod. Give us a follow!I appreciate you!

It is the middle of October and I am excited to bring you an episode focused solely on my thoughts of former Vice President Kamala Harris' new book 107 Days. It was a pleasure to read while also feeling strong empathy for her navigating the insurmountable task of campaigning to be President of the United States in only three and half months, and still also dealing with challenges only unique to Black women. I feel like I know and understand her better as a person and would recommend the book if you'd like to get to know her better too. After giving my personal update, I start discussing the book at the (7:26) mark. I hope you listen to the end.Thank you again to the Black Podcasting Association for nominating the podcast for Best Personal Development Podcast!I've re-lauched my Youtube channel! Subscribe and support! Link: https://www.youtube.com/@mylettersandlayers/videosAs always, please share and recommend, and thank you so much for the support!EMAIL: contact@thelettersandlayers.comNew podcast Instagram! @thelettersandlayerspod. Give us a follow!I appreciate you!

Happy October!I wanted to share on this episode a behavior I've been practicing more often lately, where I incorporate moments and periods of silence in my daily life. We are inundated with external stimuli every second of the day, so being more intentional about this has helped with feeling more grounded and connected to myself. I hope you listen to the end.Thank you again to the Black Podcasting Association for nominating the podcast for Best Personal Development Podcast!I've re-lauched my Youtube channel! Subscribe and support! Link: https://www.youtube.com/@mylettersandlayers/videosAs always, please share and recommend, and thank you so much for the support!EMAIL: contact@thelettersandlayers.comNew podcast Instagram! @thelettersandlayerspod. Give us a follow!I appreciate you!

On this episode of the podcast, I continue sharing my thoughts on Chimamanda's book Dream Count by highlighting four quotes and excerpts that make me laugh, think, and will stay with me for a long time. I hope you listen to the end. I've re-lauched my Youtube channel! Subscribe and support! Link: https://www.youtube.com/@mylettersandlayers/videosAs always, please share and recommend, and thank you so much for the support!EMAIL: contact@thelettersandlayers.comNew podcast Instagram! @thelettersandlayerspod. Give us a follow!I appreciate you!

Happy September!In celebration of the four year anniversary of this podcast, I decided to look back and spotlight the first episode that kicked off this amazing journey. Before doing so, I share some personal thoughts about what this podcast has meant to me and what I hope for the future. If you've never heard the first episode, you're in for a treat. Thank you as always for listening.I've re-lauched my Youtube channel! Subscribe and support! Link: https://www.youtube.com/@mylettersandlayers/videosAs always, please share and recommend, and thank you so much for the support!EMAIL: contact@thelettersandlayers.comNew podcast Instagram! @thelettersandlayerspod. Give us a follow!I appreciate you!

On this episode of the podcast, I share my thoughts on the book Dream Count by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie. I talk about how the theme of dreams expands beyond the role of men in these characters lives, but also cannot ignore their impact on Chiamaka, Zikora, Omelogor and Kadiatou, for better or worse. I hope you listen to the end.I've re-lauched my Youtube channel! Subscribe and support! Link: https://www.youtube.com/@mylettersandlayers/videosAs always, please share and recommend, and thank you so much for the support!EMAIL: contact@thelettersandlayers.comNew podcast Instagram! @thelettersandlayerspod. Give us a follow!I appreciate you!

It's great to be back with new episodes!I spent time this episode talking about my trip to Lisbon while I was away and Tracee Ellis Ross' new solo travel show on The Roku Channel. I loved it so much and thought the timing was perfectly aligned with my solo trip to Portugal. I hope you listen to the end!I've re-lauched my Youtube channel! Subscribe and support! Link: https://www.youtube.com/@mylettersandlayers/videosAs always, please share and recommend, and thank you so much for the support!EMAIL: contact@thelettersandlayers.comNew podcast Instagram! @thelettersandlayerspod. Give us a follow!I appreciate you!

On this episode of the podcast, I look back and reflect on some of my favorite Letters & Layers episodes of the year so far. Towards the end of the episode I share a prayer from Black Liturgies by Cole Arthur Riley written specifically for Black women (19:16) . I hope you listen to the end.I'm going on break! This will be the last episode until we return for the fall season on August 1st.I started a blog! Visit (www.thelettersandlayers.com) and subscribe to the newsletter at the bottom of the homepage. I'd love to offer answers to your questions, real-time life updates and recommendations, and mental health/wellness insight and resources.As always, please share and recommend, and thank you so much for the support!EMAIL: contact@thelettersandlayers.comNew podcast Instagram! @thelettersandlayerspod. Give us a follow!I appreciate you!

On this episode of The Letters and Layers Podcast, I talk about some personal updates, then share how betting on yourself can mean turning down opportunities that come your way (10:26). I also discuss how my relationship with the phenomenon imposter syndrome has changed over time, and how I am actively in the process of rejecting it in my life (19:18). I hope you listen to the end.I'll be going on an extended break soon! The June 15th episode will be the last until we return with new episodes on August 1st.I started a blog! Visit (www.thelettersandlayers.com) and subscribe to the newsletter at the bottom of the homepage. I'd love to offer answers to your questions, real-time life updates and recommendations, and mental health/wellness insight and resources.As always, please share and recommend, and thank you so much for the support!EMAIL: contact@thelettersandlayers.comNew podcast Instagram! @thelettersandlayerspod. Give us a follow!I appreciate you!

On this episode of The Letters and Layers Podcast, I am very excited to share my interview with Nikkya Hargrove, author of Mama: A Queer Black Woman's Story of a Family Lost & Found. This was a rich and thoughtful conversation, and I hope you listen to the end.Nikkya Hargrove is a LAMBDA Literary Nonfiction Fellow and has written about adoption, marriage, motherhood, and the prison system for The Washington Post, the Guardian, the New York Times, Scary Mommy, and Shondaland. She has worked for social impact nonprofits providing support to underserved communities throughout her professional career. She graduated from Bard College and lives in Connecticut with her wife and three children.Mama: A Queer Black Woman’s Story of a Family Lost and Found follows Nikkya’s journey as she makes the decision to raise her half sibling, Jonathan, after he was born to her mother, who had a crack cocaine addiction and spent time incarcerated while Nikkya was raised by her grandparents. The book traces Nikkya’s path toward custody and adoption, her family’s perspective on her queerness, and the way she finds love and forms a family.Connect with Nikkya: https://www.nikkyamhargrove.com/https://www.instagram.com/nikkyahargrove/?hl=enhttps://www.instagram.com/obodoserendipitybooks/I'll be going on an extended break soon! The June 15th episode will be the last until we return with new episodes on August 1st.I started a blog! Visit (www.thelettersandlayers.com) and subscribe to the newsletter at the bottom of the homepage. I'd love to offer answers to your questions, real-time life updates and recommendations, and mental health/wellness insight and resources.As always, please share and recommend, and thank you so much for the support!EMAIL: contact@thelettersandlayers.comNew podcast Instagram! @thelettersandlayerspod. Give us a follow!I appreciate you!

On this episode of The Letters and Layers Podcast, I talk about the commitment I made to eliminate my consumption of sweets and sugar during the season of Lent. I also share some realizations I had after Lent ended, and the noticeable ways my body and overall well-being has changed. I hope you listen to the end.I'll be going on an extended break soon! The June 1st episode will be the last until we return with new episodes on August 1st.I started a blog! Visit (www.thelettersandlayers.com) and subscribe to the newsletter at the bottom of the homepage. I'd love to offer answers to your questions, real-time life updates and recommendations, and mental health/wellness insight and resources.As always, please share and recommend, and thank you so much for the support!EMAIL: contact@thelettersandlayers.comNew podcast Instagram! @thelettersandlayerspod. Give us a follow!I appreciate you!

On this episode of The Letters and Layers Podcast, I'm talking about a Youtube video that prompted me to interrogate the limiting beliefs I have as a creative and artist. I share those limiting beliefs on the podcast, and encourage my listeners to identify where in their life they hold limiting beliefs that could be keeping them from the goals or success they are working towards. I hope you listen to the end.Youtube Video: https://www.youtube.com/live/4KTBS4LYC38?si=aaIXMRfZN7SJl8qRI started a blog! Visit (www.thelettersandlayers.com) and subscribe to the newsletter at the bottom of the homepage. I'd love to offer answers to your questions, real-time life updates and recommendations, and mental health/wellness insight and resources.As always, please share and recommend, and thank you so much for the support!EMAIL: contact@thelettersandlayers.comNew podcast Instagram! @thelettersandlayerspod. Give us a follow!I appreciate you!

On this episode of The Letters and Layers Podcast, I jump right in and talk about a traumatic event that happened to me while away for a weekend last month in California. In order to successfully process the experience and prevent any debilitating impact, I employed some exposure therapy tactics to help rewire my brain and prevent the trauma from impeding my day to day life. I hope you listen to the end.Exposure therapy resources:Very Well Mind: https://www.verywellmind.com/exposure-therapy-for-ptsd-2797654The Cleveland Clinic: https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/treatments/25067-exposure-therapyI started a blog! Visit (www.thelettersandlayers.com) and subscribe to the newsletter at the bottom of the homepage. I'd love to offer answers to your questions, real-time life updates and recommendations, and mental health/wellness insight and resources.As always, please share and recommend, and thank you so much for the support!EMAIL: contact@thelettersandlayers.comNew podcast Instagram! @thelettersandlayerspod. Give us a follow!I appreciate you!

On this episode of the podcast, I share three statements and affirmations that help with managing self-doubt and feelings of overwhelm and failure (11:29). Before I start the segment, I talk about some books I'm currently reading, giving back to the community and seeing amazing art from Black creatives at the Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago. I hope you listen to the end. Black Creativity Juried Exposition: https://www.msichicago.org/explore/whats-here/exhibits/black-creativity-juried-art-exhibition/artistsMama by Nikkya Hargrove: https://bookshop.org/p/books/mama-a-queer-black-woman-s-story-of-a-family-lost-and-found-nikkya-hargrove/21003176?ean=9781643751580&next=tDream Count by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie: https://bookshop.org/p/books/untitled-2724/c7b6aa2765889f35?ean=9780593802724&next=tWellness Bestie Chi: https://www.instagram.com/wellnessbestiechi/As always, please share and recommend, and thank you so much for the support!EMAIL: contact@thelettersandlayers.comNew podcast Instagram! @thelettersandlayerspod. Give us a follow!I appreciate you!

On this March 1st episode, I start by sharing some forms of creativity that have inspired me recently (6:43). I then devote my main segment to discussing ways to reconnect and honor the desires of your inner child, like reintroducing old activities and that brought you joy, and tools for facilitating the therapeutic process of healing any trauma or negative experiences from childhood into adulthood (17:40). I hope you listen to the end.Links from the episode:Jonaé Michelle Artwork: https://www.theartistjm.com/Homeworthy - Natasha Landers' London Townhome: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-HjSqInNxvE&t=37s&ab_channel=HomeworthyHomeworthy - Skylar & Temi's Brooklyn Townhome: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vCZY-vxddnY&t=186s&ab_channel=HomeworthyRainbow Fish Children's Book: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-rainbow-fish-marcus-pfister/1100058470As always, please share and recommend, and thank you so much for the support!EMAIL: contact@thelettersandlayers.comNew podcast Instagram! @thelettersandlayerspod. Give us a follow!I appreciate you!

On this episode of The Letters and Layers Podcast, I highlight two articles written last year by the Atlanta Tribune and The Black Women in Science Network discussing how inability to process feelings and emotions can increase the risk of auto-immune disorders among Black women. I share statistics, biological context, and strategies to help with reducing the likelihood of developing these conditions. I hope you listen to the end.Articles:Atlanta Tribune: https://atlantatribune.com/2024/07/16/silent-rage-is-a-hidden-health-crisis-among-women-of-color-fueling-autoimmune-disorders/Black Women In Science (BWIS) Network: https://www.bwisnetwork.co.uk/post/silent-and-silencedBook:Black Women's Mental Health: https://coalchicago.com/Images/2021/09/Black-Womens-Mental-Health-Balancing-Strength-and-Vulnerability-by-Stephanie-Y.-Evans-Kanika-Bell-Nsenga-K.-Burton-eds..pdfI started a blog! Visit (www.thelettersandlayers.com) and subscribe to the newsletter at the bottom of the homepage. I'd love to offer answers to your questions, real-time life updates and recommendations, and mental health/wellness insight and resources.As always, please share and recommend, and thank you so much for the support!EMAIL: contact@thelettersandlayers.comNew podcast Instagram! @thelettersandlayerspod. Give us a follow!I appreciate you!

Hey everyone!Happy February! Coming to you after unfortunately losing my initial recording for today's episode, but I am leaning heavily on consistency, and have re-recorded the first part of what would have been published. I will re-record part 2 discussing Black Women, Anger Suppression, and Auto-Immune disorders for the February 15th episode.In this one, I talk about approaching 100 episodes of the podcast this year, streaming music vs. buying music, and close out by sharing my favorite shows of the year so far. I hope you listen to the end.I started a blog! Visit (www.thelettersandlayers.com) and subscribe to the newsletter at the bottom of the homepage. I'd love to offer answers to your questions, real-time life updates and recommendations, and mental health/wellness insight and resources.As always, please share and recommend, and thank you so much for the support!EMAIL: contact@thelettersandlayers.comNew podcast Instagram! @thelettersandlayerspod. Give us a follow!I appreciate you!

Happy New Year!A lot has happened since the last episode, and I'm very excited to record again and hit the ground running for 2025.I begin the episode by sharing some highlights of my trip to Portugal, then continue by discussing my decision to delete my personal Instagram (14:55), and end with sharing 2025 resolutions (32:34). I hope you listen to the end.I started a blog! Visit (www.thelettersandlayers.com) and subscribe to the newsletter at the bottom of the homepage. I'd love to offer answers to your questions, real-time life updates and recommendations, and mental health/wellness insight and resources.As always, please share and recommend, and thank you so much for the support!EMAIL: contact@thelettersandlayers.comI appreciate you!

Hey everyone!Welcome to the final episode of the year! I'm really happy to get to this point and thank you all who have listened to this podcast, or found me this year and stuck around! I appreciate it more than you know. We will resume new episodes January 15th, 2025.At the top of the episode, I talk about making a list of your accomplishments. This can help put things in perspective when you feel like you got nothing done during the year, which was something I was contending with myself (8:38). Secondly, we discuss Chapter 8 in All About Love, where community is a focus, and how our relationship to it informs the importance we place on relationships vs. friendships (27:21). I hope you listen to the end.I started a blog! Visit (www.thelettersandlayers.com) and subscribe to the newsletter at the bottom of the homepage. I'd love to offer answers to your questions, real-time life updates and recommendations, and mental health/wellness insight and resources.As always, please share and recommend, and thank you so much for the support!EMAIL: contact@thelettersandlayers.com-OR-DM me through my social media handles! IG: @amaka_agI appreciate you!