This is a special mini-episode, better known as a Yesticle, featuring the dynamic Molly Jensen, the Chief Executive Officer of Afripods!

You might need to buckle up as we journey through the remarkable story of Molly's life and career - a tale that spans continents, cultures, countries, and what all of that translates to in her role in building a bigger podcasting pie for Africa.

Molly Jensen, a Ghanaian-American born in New York, has devoted her career to revolutionising African storytelling. As the CEO of Afripods, she's at the forefront of building the largest library of African audio stories on the planet, right from the heart of Nairobi, Kenya.

Afripods, exactly where this very podcast is hosted, is a free pan-African podcast hosting platform. It is a game-changer that not only provides a platform for African creators but also amplifies their voices across the continent and within the Diaspora.

Afripods' incredible capabilities include categorising content in over 50 languages and curating material from over 30 countries, including individual podcasters, radio stations, and media houses. It's truly become the home for African podcasting, it's fostering the growth of diverse narratives and talents.

But make no mistake---- Molly's journey isn't just about technology and innovation; it's also about advocacy and empowerment. She's not content with just digitizing African stories; she's on a mission to ensure African creators take up as much space as possible in the global podcasting landscape, all while creating avenues for them to earn what they deserve for their hard work.

Beyond being an accomplished CEO, Molly is a speaker who's graced prestigious stages worldwide. Her impressive resume includes appearances at Podcast Movement, Africa Podcast Day, Africa Media Festival, BBC Media Leaders conferences, WAN-IFRA Digital Media Africa conference, and Advertising Week Africa.

She's also been featured in prominent publications such as Forbes, The Guardian, Reuters, JamLab Africa, Podcast Sessions, and Apple Podcasts, solidifying her position as a thought leader in the podcasting realm.

Her commitment to personal growth and well-being is evident through her role as an EQ Ambassador for Six Seconds, a global non-profit focused on emotional intelligence awareness. In a world increasingly driven by technology- even as someone leading a technology company, she emphasises the importance of understanding and nurturing emotional intelligence.

And when she's not busy changing the podcasting landscape or doing some much-needed advocacy in the spaces she's in, Molly enjoys exploring the world through her travels, adding to her rich tapestry of experiences.

That right there makes her the perfect person to speak to about the African diaspora, diaspora identity and belonging, diaspora vs. assimilation, hyphenated identity, diaspora community support, roots and heritage, multiculturalism, the role of language, and the power of diversity.

Yup! It's one of those opening-up and vulnerability kind of conversations. You have been warned.

You can find:

Molly on Instagram as @mj_akosua and Afripods at @afripods

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