Trials To Triumphs
Subscribed: 80Played: 1,597
Subscribe
© Oprah
Description
Netflix star, producer, content creator and a proud Howard University graduate, Ashley Blaine Featherson-Jenkins is stepping out with her brand-new podcast Trials to Triumphs. The interview-style show debuted on the Oprah Winfrey Network, which includes the popular Oprah’s Super Soul podcast. As one of the lead actresses in both the movie and series Dear White People, Ashley is deeply connected to many of the premiere innovators and performers in the entertainment industry. Her personal and professional struggles, along with her gift for relating and connecting to people from all walks of life, will allow Ashley and her notable guests to open up about the trials that led to their many triumphs. In these intimate and revealing conversations, Ashley and her guests will unpack moments that remained hidden from the public as guests worked to become who they are today. After each episode, listeners will feel inspired and empowered to keep going, no matter where they are in life. Some of Ashley's guests include Kelly Rowland, Robin Thede, Michelle Williams, Amber Riley, Danielle Brooks, Estelle and many more of today’s cultural trailblazers. Each week, Trials to Triumphs will deliver hope, inspiration and plenty of laughs… just what the world needs right now.
60 Episodes
Reverse
Political commentator, professor and star of Bravo’s Real Housewives of Potomac, Dr. Wendy Osefo lives life with intention. In her conversation with Ashley, Dr. Osefo talks about growing up with the pressure of her family’s expectations and the pain of always being the new girl. Despite not liking school, Wendy earned four degrees to appease her mother and became the first Black woman to earn a PhD in public affairs and community development from her university. Desiring to follow her own dream of representing Black excellence, Wendy later took the leap to become the first Nigerian housewife on Bravo’s series. However, she quickly realized that her goal and the show’s purpose were out of alignment. Recently, after being reminded of the brevity of life, a revelation shifted her perspective. Now, instead of responding to pressure and negativity, Wendy chooses to focus on gratitude for her family and leading a life of fulfillment surrounded by love. Want more podcasts from OWN? Visit https://bit.ly/OWNPodsYou can also watch Oprah’s Super Soul, The Oprah Winfrey Show and more of your favorite OWN shows on your TV! Visit https://bit.ly/find_OWN
Actress Edwina Findley Dickerson learned to embrace the God story of her life. In this powerful conversation, Edwina takes Ashley back to her early days cultivating her faith in Washington, D.C. TheIf Loving You Is Wrongstar describes how God orchestrated divine appointments at critical turning points in her life. Over the years she’s trained her ear to listen for prophetic words and encouragement from strangers as she worked toward her dreams. From meeting and being mentored by Viola Davis to earning a star on Tyler Perry Studios’ lot, God’s promises never failed to manifest. Today as a wife, a mother and seasoned actress Edwina continues to excel in her craft, trusting in God’s goodness and guidance. This episode was recorded at Spotify Studios LA.Want more podcasts from OWN? Visit https://bit.ly/OWNPodsYou can also watch Oprah’s Super Soul, The Oprah Winfrey Show and more of your favorite OWN shows on your TV! Visit https://bit.ly/find_OWN
Actress and award-winning fertility advocate Kellee Stewart prioritizes her happiness in every chapter of her life. Kellee shares with Ashley how the painful ending to a long-term relationship was the catalyst for her decision to freeze her eggs. Although this decision was not originally in her plans, she talks about how her fertility journey led her closer to God, to herself and provided an opportunity to build the family she always wanted. Kellee believes her willingness to pivot and grow in the face of adversity has changed her life for the better.Want more podcasts from OWN? Visithttps://bit.ly/OWNPodsYou can also watch Oprah’s Super Soul, The Oprah Winfrey Show and more of your favorite OWN shows on your TV! Visithttps://bit.ly/find_OWN
Best-selling author Ashley C. Ford was raised in survival mode. In her conversation with ABFJ, she talks about the impact of growing up with an incarcerated father and a fraught relationship with her young, single mother. Without the safety of a nurturing caregiver, Ashley grew up believing she only had herself to count on. Years later during an eye-opening therapy session, Ashley discovered she was still holding onto a childhood desire for a close bond with her mother. As an adult who now understands the power of grace, Ashley learned to release her fantasy, forgive her mother’s shortcomings, and accept the reality of their relationship – flaws and all. Want more podcasts from OWN? Visit https://bit.ly/OWNPodsYou can also watch Oprah’s Super Soul, The Oprah Winfrey Show and more of your favorite OWN shows on your TV! Visit https://bit.ly/find_OWN
From a very young age, author and media executive Michelle Hord longed to become a mother. When she gave birth to a beautiful baby girl named Gabrielle, Michelle was living a dream fulfilled. Seven years later, after losing her daughter at the hands of her ex-husband, Michelle found herself living her worst nightmare. In this deeply moving conversation, Michelle talks to Ashley about her memoir The Other Side of Yet, where she describes how she rebuilt her life after unthinkable tragedy. Drawing inspiration from Job 13:15: “Though He slay me, yet will I trust Him,” Michelle reveals how she found the strength to continue putting one foot in front of the other. During her deepest grief, Michelle says she chose survival and gave herself permission to experience joy. By God’s grace, Michelle’s defiant faith and unwavering commitment to gratitude has sustained her through life’s storms.
Hailing from modest beginnings in Rio de Janeiro, ballerina and activist Ingrid Silva discovered her aptitude for dance at the tender age of eight. In her conversation with Ashley, Ingrid describes feeling free the very first moment she stepped on stage. From there, the precocious but shy dancer promised herself she would push past her fears and be brave enough to follow her dreams. Ingrid’s gift took her all the way to New York City’s competitive Dance Theatre of Harlem where she faced many challenges including a culture shock, language barrier and homesickness. When the obstacles compounded and Ingrid reached a breaking point, her mother’s bold belief that she would succeed encouraged her to continue. Today as a seasoned dancer and working mother, Ingrid believes the unwavering support from her community has both sustained and propelled her into the life of her dreams.Want more podcasts from OWN? Visit https://bit.ly/OWNPodsYou can also watch Oprah’s Super Soul, The Oprah Winfrey Show and more of your favorite OWN shows on your TV! Visit https://bit.ly/find_OWN
Author and Poet Arielle Estoria hasn’t always recognized her worth. In her vulnerable conversation with Ashley, Arielle explains how engaging in constant comparison throughout her life made her feel small. While uplifting other women with inspiring words always came naturally to her, Arielle often struggled to encourage herself. Raised as a pastor’s kid, the poet also reveals how ignoring the beauty of her body to focus solely on the Biblical rules that governed her soul led to living a “very disembodied spirituality.” Through learning to speak kindly to her body, listening to her inner voice, and embracing her flaws Arielle peeled back the layers of who she was to reveal the bright light she was always meant to be.Want more podcasts from OWN? Visithttps://bit.ly/OWNPodsYou can also watch Oprah’s Super Soul, The Oprah Winfrey Show and more of your favorite OWN shows on your TV! Visithttps://bit.ly/find_OWN
In the Season 2 Trials to Triumphs premiere, Grammy-nominated R&B singer and songwriter Ari Lennox sits down with Ashley during the 2023 Essence Festival in New Orleans. Both DMV natives, they discuss their childhood and humble beginnings as artists navigating survival jobs until landing their big breaks. Ari opens up about her battles with anxiety, some of her lowest moments, and what tools she leans on to embrace growth. She confides in Ashley about the importance of being accountable for her mistakes.Want more podcasts from OWN? Visit https://bit.ly/OWNPodsYou can also watch Oprah’s Super Soul, The Oprah Winfrey Show and more of your favorite OWN shows on your TV! Visit https://bit.ly/find_OWN
Trials To Triumphs Season 2 Starts August 14th! New Episodes Every Monday!
Our host flips the script and answers burning questions from Trials to Triumphs listeners! Find out the three things Ashley would take to a deserted island, how she decompresses after a long day, and where she would’ve worked if she did not pursue acting. Ashley also discusses navigating the entertainment industry as a dark-skinned Black woman, preparing for marriage, and the power of trusting your intuition. Want more podcasts from OWN? Visit https://bit.ly/OWNPodsYou can also watch Oprah’s Super Soul, The Oprah Winfrey Show and more of your favorite OWN shows on your TV! Visit https://bit.ly/find_OWN
After the former stockbroker was rejected by investors on NBC’s Shark Tank, she channeled her disappointment into an opportunity to reinvest in her beauty brand and Black women. Melissa tells Ashley about growing up in Detroit and being inspired to make products that catered to and celebrated Black beauty. She was determined to succeed after seeing both her mother and father incarcerated during her childhood and reveals how the experience of purchasing her first car as a teenager taught her a lesson about the power of her own ambition. Want more podcasts from OWN? Visit https://bit.ly/OWNPodsYou can also watch Oprah’s Super Soul, The Oprah Winfrey Show and more of your favorite OWN shows on your TV! Visit https://bit.ly/find_OWN
Actor Marque Richardson (Dear White People) no longer operates in “survival mode.” The Netflix star tells Ashley how experiencing homelessness at a young age hindered his self-confidence, impacting his self-worth personally and professionally. An eye-opening conversation with his parents during the early days of the global pandemic led to a greater awareness of his family’s dynamic and of the coping mechanisms that were holding him back. After intentionally shedding old mindsets and unpacking heavy layers of unnecessary pressure, shame, and self-doubt, Marque now fully embraces the freedom and peace that come from living and working as his authentic self.Want more podcasts from OWN? Visit https://bit.ly/OWNPodsYou can also watch Oprah’s Super Soul, The Oprah Winfrey Show and more of your favorite OWN shows on your TV! Visit https://bit.ly/find_OWN
Author, professor and researcher Dr. Joy DeGruy encourages Ashley, and each of us, to have “more than hope” for the future, and to honor the determination of past generations by finding our purpose. She believes moving beyond resilience to radical joy is the rightful inheritance of Black Americans. She and Ashley discuss how family has inspired their sense of purpose and why “there are many roads that lead to healing.” She shares an emotional past experience with her two adult sons that connected her to the despair of her ancestors but also to their hope. Want more podcasts from OWN? Visit https://bit.ly/OWNPodsYou can also watch Oprah’s Super Soul, The Oprah Winfrey Show and more of your favorite OWN shows on your TV! Visit https://bit.ly/find_OWN
A “No” can devastate and feel like a dead-end. But often “No” is simply redirection. In this anthology episode, Ashley Blaine Featherson-Jenkins revisits conversations with Curlbox CEO and founder Myleik Teele, award-winning Actress Danielle Brooks, and Comedian and Executive Producer Robin Thede. Each woman transformed rejection into a pivot and used it to create greater opportunities. The testimonials in this special episode demonstrate the power of “No” and confirm that, when embraced, a “No” can set you up for a much bigger “Yes.”
When actor, writer and director Yvette Nicole Brown left Cleveland for Los Angeles she wanted to be a singer but fell in love with acting. Since then, she’s starred in the popular sitcom Community as well as Drake and Josh, The Mayor and The Odd Couple. In her conversation with Ashley, Yvette shares how she decided to be honest about her age in an industry that punishes women for turning 30. After losing her mother, Yvette rediscovered the power in her own testimony. She views her ability to be honest about her grief as a way to help empower others who are facing similar tragedies.
1When Tabitha Brown became a young mom, she feared her Hollywood dream was over. The actress and vegan food influencer tells Ashley she resigned herself to living a “regular life” in Eden, North Carolina, until God told her He had a different plan. Fueled by a renewed vision, Tabitha returned to LA confident enough to shed unhealthy Hollywood beauty standards (that had led to hiding her Southern accent and natural hair) and ready to be her authentic self. Now a best-selling author with over 4 million followers, Tabitha is convinced that her setbacks and long waiting season prepared her to step into her purpose. Tab’s powerful story is a testament that no matter how long a waiting season takes, you never miss out on what God has for you.
The accomplished artist’s life changed dramatically after she was commissioned to make the official portrait of First Lady Michelle Obama for the National Portrait Gallery. But this was no overnight success. Amy tells Ashley about the sacrifices she made along the way, including working as a waitress for 15 years while honing her skills. She describes feeling eclipsed as she watched friends achieve important milestones in their personal lives and careers. She also opens up about letting go of the need to appear perfect after growing up in a family that emulated the fictional Huxtables. Amy reveals how a life-changing medical diagnosis at age thirty provided clarity through her fear, leading her to leap toward her destiny without a backup plan.
In this anthology episode, Ashley Blaine Featherson-Jenkins reviews some of the lessons her dear friends shared on the show from their motherhood journeys. She looks back at how Actress Aja Naomi King’s son taught her the power of letting go, how teaching her son about forgiveness challenged Grammy winner Kelly Rowland to grow, and how acclaimed actress Sonequa Martin-Green’s children helped her heal after losing both parents. This special episode celebrates motherhood, its joys, its pains, and its trials and triumphs.
Globetrotter and bestselling author of The Catch Me If You Can, Jessica Nabongo has always valued freedom. The record-breaking traveler and Ashley reflect on their shared experiences of being raised by parents who encouraged their independence at a young age. This sense of autonomy cultivated the boldness Jessica called upon to take major risks, like abandoning a successful corporate career to explore the world. Empowered by the belief that “everything in life is a choice,” Jessica refused to submit to a fear of the unknown, choosing instead to embrace curiosity and rely on excellence in work and relationships as her “safety nets.” Nabongo urges us to live with intention and intentionally curate life experiences knowing that tomorrow isn’t promised.
Tunde Oyeneyin is no stranger to change. She was a successful makeup artist for 15 years before becoming a Peloton Instructor, Nike Athlete and Author of NY Times Best Selling book, Speak: Find Your Voice, Trust Your Gut, and Get from Where You Are to Where You Want to Be. Tunde chats with Ashley about moving on from what she thought was her dream job and about how a cycling class changed not only the trajectory of her career, but moved her into alignment with the life God had prepared for her. The Houston native now stands in her truth as a motivational speaker and Peloton instructor who daily motivates a virtual crowd of over 20,000 riders. Tunde shares how she learned to love the space of “supreme uncertainty” and how grief ultimately guided her to the best version of herself.
Download from Google Play
Download from App Store
United States
Thank you for another Excellent episode! Glad you returned for another season, missed your podcast, your transparency, the great people you have on. Enjoyed hearing from Arielle Estoria today!!
Listen this is sooo good. Tabitha has such a powerful story. If we lean in and listen we can hear the Lord and find ourselves in her story. Thank you both for such a reflective wise conversation. 👏🏾
Awesome episode. I love the perspective about pivoting and parenting.
Listen. This is by far the best episode of a podcast that I've listened to so far. I'm so inspired by Malinda's genuine faith and relationship with the Lord. THIS IS SO TIMELY. Thank you ABFJ 🤎 I've downloaded this one to listen over again!
can't wait 😍