Village Boyz

We have come to the end of another dope season. We appreciate every single guest that show up and blessed us with their presence, perspectives and wisdom. This season represented and reaffirmed our growth not just as a podcast, but as people and a community. A lot of the topics we talked about were inspired from the people we surrounded ourselves with daily for the past year and we hope that we did them justice. Thanks again for listening to another season - can't wait to come back for SZN5!Follow us on IG: @vllgboyzIntro: "Tell Me" - Ayamtu

In this episode, we side down with a burgeoning real estate mogul, Amani Kelly (@amanimkelly). We talk about his rough upbringing in Boston, how the birth of his daughter started his transition out of street life, working in corporate America as a black man, and his journey into real estate. If you are one that is interested in real estate and how to make an impact in marginalized communities, this is a great episode for you to listen to. For more information on how to get involved, visit http://Amanikelly.com & seinvcap.comFollow us on IG: @vllgboyzIntro: "Tell Me" - Ayamtu

On this episode, we bring back the one and only, Johnathan West (@beinghusbandpod). He first came on our pod 4 years ago on our first season where we talked more about manhood and masculinity (Ep 113).  After 4 years, 1 house and 1 son later, we link back up with one of our favorite guests and get into his new world. We talk about failure, greed, pride, lust, and what fatherhood has been for the former suburban farmer. This episode is a very honest and reflective one--it hits deep, so we hope you enjoy it.Here's the first episode:iTunes: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/village-boyz/id1525056272?i=1000493023139Check out his podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/being-husband-podcast/id1446772959Follow us on IG: @vllgboyzIntro: "Tell Me" - Ayamtu

On this episode, we bring back one of our favorite people--Dom Badji (@badji14). If you remember, Dom was on our very first season (Ep. 111)  when he was still playing professional soccer for the newly minted Nashville SC. We talked a lot about his family, religion, and Senegalese culture on that episode. Since then, a lot has been going on for him like changing teams, seeing his parents for the first time in years, having a daughter and building his own family, and what type of parent he hopes to be. This episode was full of very deep revelations that may even inspire you to mend broken relationships. The link the his first episode:iTunes: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/village-boyz/id1525056272?i=1000491382056Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/2mtKVJj91mKBLZ3GEyC4bq?si=OMRXFoIoR9Wb_9RWrBMxhgFollow us on IG: @vllgboyzIntro: "Tell Me" - Ayamtu

On this episode, we bring back a former villager, Bev (@beverlyadaeze) back on the pod--she actually had one of our most listened episodes all of last season. We catch up on her growth over the last year especially since moving back from Columbia, her public speaking event, the nuances of social media and the art of knowing how to travel well. If you haven't already listened to the first episode with her, check out Ep 305 here:iTunes:  https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/village-boyz/id1525056272?i=1000557391728Spotify:  https://open.spotify.com/episode/7oUEa7taDwOMQ3rYfsqjwx?si=9YrumGQ8SYqfBuRnLKW9kwFollow us on IG: @vllgboyzIntro: "Tell Me" - AyamtuFollow us on IG: @vllgboyzIntro: "Tell Me" - Ayamtu

On this episode, we speak with an astounding and powerful woman...who also happens to be one of our childhood friends, Temi. Temi is a wife, a new mom, and a bomb ass artist. We focused on the ever expanding world of motherhood and how the life of being a new parent affects our identity on so many fronts. We talk about navigating cultural norms around parenting, re-traumatizing our kids, forgiving our parents and much much more. This was a very therapeutic episode for everyone. Follow us on IG: @vllgboyzIntro: "Tell Me" - AyamtuFollow us on IG: @vllgboyzIntro: "Tell Me" - Ayamtu

The magic that can happen from a group chat. We have been friends with Pierre (@pierremvono from episode 216 in S2) & Stephen (@stephayeni) for 3 years now and it was all thanks to one misspoken segment from our first season. On this episode, we recap our journey from what seemed so inconsequential to the impact our friendship has had on each of our lives. Also a very funny episode to listen to.If you haven't listened to Pierre's story yet, check it out here: iTunes: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/village-boyz/id1525056272?i=1000528748239Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/2Itq0829pLZjVrmYlBilZC?si=wzquyP6OTZiGWs0IzyAmKgFollow us on IG: @vllgboyzIntro: "Tell Me" - AyamtuFollow us on IG: @vllgboyzIntro: "Tell Me" - Ayamtu

On this episode, we talk to a Nashville native pro-boxer, Larry Donald. Larry is a professional boxer with an unbeaten record of 7-0. And with the growing popularity of fighting sports, this was a perfect chance to dive into the mind of a fighter, understand how he deals with fear, what mission he's attached to his fighting career and more. Fighting is a spiritual act and on this episode, we got to explore just that.Follow him on instagram: @larry_donaldFollow us on IG: @vllgboyzIntro: "Tell Me" - AyamtuFollow us on IG: @vllgboyzIntro: "Tell Me" - Ayamtu

In this episode, we continue our Distant Cousin series with a pair of astounding psychologists. Here, we dive deeper into the psychodynamics of the immigrant experience assimilating into a western culture. We dive deeper into parenting the new generation and how children expose our own deep flaws, organization of our racial identity, the difference between race and ethnicity, and many more fascinating topics. This is a really rich episode and we hope you enjoy it!Below are the bios for our guests:Dr. Latifat Cabirou is an assistant professor of counseling psychology at Auburn University. She conducts research focused on immigrant racial, ethnic, and cultural minority experiences, and mental health help-seeking attitudes and behaviors. Dr. Cabirou also has a private practice where she provides therapy services to adolescents and adults, as well as mental health and diversity consultation services to community organizations. She can be reached at cabirou@imoleps.com and www.imoleps.comDr. Gihane Jérémie-Brink, PhD is an Assistant Professor in the Graduate Program in Clinical and Counseling Psychology at William Paterson University. She studies the psychological well-being of Black emerging adults, women, and couples and families. Her research on these topics explores racial and ethnic socialization, coping strategies, identity development, and critical consciousness as protective factors. She also collaborates with scholars across different universities on field-leading research working with Black couples and families.Dr. Jérémie-Brink is also the Co-Principal Investigator and Director of the WELL Program at New Brunswick Theological Seminary, a 5-year grant program that promotes the mental, physical, and spiritual well-being of Black and Latinx faith leaders. Dr. Jérémie-Brink enjoys teaching about theory, research, and therapeutic interventions in her graduate (Couple and Family Therapy; Group Interventions) and undergraduate (Introduction to Counseling and Psychotherapy; Love 101: How to Build Romantic Relationships that Last; Psychology of African Americans; Lifespan Development) courses. She serves in executive leadership for the American Psychological Association’s (APA) Division 43 (Society for Couple and Family Psychology) and Division 17 (Society of Counseling Psychology). Dr. Jérémie-Brink engages in her community, through clinical work, consulting, giving talks and keynote addresses, leading workshops on mental health wellness, strengthening couple and family relationships, and prevention and intervention efforts in Black and culturally diverse families. Gihane has been happily married for 18 years and has three wonderful children. Her love Language is BBQ; she prides herself in being a French fry connoisseur, she’s a movie trailer watcher (if that’s a thing), a lover of travel, and a fierce competitor in family dance offs. If she’s cooking or cleaning you can catch her listening to a range of music that includes Haitian Kompa and Zouk, Afrobeats, late 90s/2000’s hip hop and R&B, and gospel/spiritual music.Follow us on IG: @vllgboyzIntro: "Tell Me" - AyamtuFollow us on IG: @vllgboyzIntro: "Tell Me" - Ayamtu

On this episode, we bring back Maliyah (@queen.mb) with @rolled4evericecream back on the pod from our very first season (Ep. 114) almost exactly 3 years later! This time, we also bring on the other half to the successful Ice Cream brand and her best friend, Bari (@miss_bari). Here, we explore the immense growth they've had over the past 3 years of opening their first physical store, dealing with imposter syndrome, the importance of legacy, and the challenges of finding balance as an entrepreneur while maintaining your sense of self. It is a deeply reflective episode with hella gems in there. Follow us on IG: @vllgboyzIntro: "Tell Me" - AyamtuFollow us on IG: @vllgboyzIntro: "Tell Me" - Ayamtu

On this episode, we talk to a legend in the making: Joy Ekuta. Joy is a Nigerian born woman raised in America. We talk to Joy about her experience being the first born daughter in a Nigerian household and the responsibilities that come with that, what life experiences she gained living in a plethora of different states in America as a kid, her business philosophy and the epic journey into how she and her colleagues helped make Juneteenth into a holiday in the United States. Follow her on instagram to learn more about her: @akutamatata333Follow us on IG: @vllgboyzIntro: "Tell Me" - AyamtuFollow us on IG: @vllgboyzIntro: "Tell Me" - Ayamtu

On this episode, we are excited to bring Suzanne into the village. Suzanne is the creator and producer of a documentary called "Le Choisi" ("The Chosen"). Le Choisi the documentary serves as a guidebook to discovering you are chosen. It tells the story of first generation Africans who are living in America and France and their journey of dream chasing. We talk about racial and sociopolitical dynamics from her experience between black people in France v here in the US, new perspectives that came from the documentary and her journey to creating it during the pandemic.Be sure to follow her on the socials: @suzannekbarry @lechoisifilmLink to the documentary is live: https://youtu.be/wKDIoVaAJ0c?si=aKxnS3QUyJTc3fN1 Follow us on IG: @vllgboyzIntro: "Tell Me" - AyamtuFollow us on IG: @vllgboyzIntro: "Tell Me" - Ayamtu

On this episode, we engage in some meaningful conversations with the Oye Brothers. They are the founders of Oye Coffee Co. which is a family ran coffee business with a very unique story.  From learning about their grandfather's farm to learning the science behind making coffee, this episode was full of beautiful stories and unforgettable gems. Be sure to follow them on the socials: @oyecoffeeco Follow us on IG: @vllgboyzIntro: "Tell Me" - AyamtuFollow us on IG: @vllgboyzIntro: "Tell Me" - Ayamtu

Yes, yes, it's been right about a year since our last fully recorded podcast episode. We have actually really missed recording and interacting with our community. So we decided to fill you guys in on everything that's happened over the last year and what we plan to do for this season on the podcast. Follow us on IG: @vllgboyzIntro: "Tell Me" - AyamtuFollow us on IG: @vllgboyzIntro: "Tell Me" - Ayamtu

Welcome to a class on ethnicity v racial identity, fighting back against inherent anti-black sentiments, and tapping into our roots of communal thinking. This episode is told from a psychologist in training who hails from the Dominican Republic. This is our first episode where we go deep with someone from the Afro-LatinX community, and we hope to have more. Enjoy. Follow her on Instagram: @ammysloveFollow us on IG: @vllgboyzIntro: "Tell Me" - Ayamtu

We are at the end of another successful season. We put a lot of work into these seasons and because of that, we grow and learn so much. So we like to chop it up about our journey through the season and give you guys some behind the scenes action that happened. We appreciate the support as always and we hope to see you guys next season. Much love. Follow us on IG: @vllgboyzTik Tok: @vllgboyz2Intro: "Tell Me" - AyamtuMusic: Aba Mvelo x DaliwongaFollow us on IG: @vllgboyzIntro: "Tell Me" - Ayamtu

This episode is so smooth. We came back with an important part 3 to our most important series of the podcast: Distant Cousins. The first one was from the perspective of us, the hosts. The second was with a Black American man from the south. The third piece is from a son of a Chief and Queen Mother who grew up in the states in the 80's. Dr. Isaac Addae was able to add to this conversation by bringing salient and authentic points that can only come from his experience. We are beyond excited to share this one with you all. Exploring African American Masculinitieshttps://compass.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1751-9020.2012.00498.xFollow him on instagram: @isaacaddaephdWebsite: https://linktr.ee/yaoaddaeFollow us on IG: @vllgboyzTik Tok: @vllgboyz2Intro: "Tell Me" - AyamtuFollow us on IG: @vllgboyzIntro: "Tell Me" - Ayamtu

This episode is just so calming to listen to. The best adjective for it was: soulful. It felt like we were sitting outside in the backyard on a Sunday afternoon just chopping it up. And sipping on some good drank, of course. Lexander Bryant has become a legend in Nashville & rightfully so. He recently had an art show in one of Nashville’s most prominent museums for almost 5 months. His exhibition, Forget Me Nots, addresses themes of perseverance amid adversity, family struc­tures and bonds, economic inequality, community activism, and more. So you already know we had to dig into all of those things in this episode today..which we did. Excited for y’all to hear this one so sit back and enjoy it.   Forget Me Notshttps://fristartmuseum.org/exhibition/lexander-bryant/Follow him on Instagram: @orgnzd.visuals Follow us on IG: @vllgboyzTik Tok: @vllgboyz2Intro: "Tell Me" - AyamtuFollow us on IG: @vllgboyzIntro: "Tell Me" - Ayamtu

Reggie Ford, our guest, is an entrepreneur, philanthropist, mental health advocate, and social activist. He is the author of a life changing book, Perseverance Through Severe Dysfunction. A first-generation college graduate of Vanderbilt University, he runs RoseCrete Wealth Management and speaks to audiences about financial empowerment, overall wellness, and the importance of diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility. This episode is our most vulnerable one yet. We share and touch on things we never have before on this podcast. We, in real time, process our trauma and the consequent emotions that we are still processing. As you listen, we hope this helps you do the same. Enjoy.Follow him on Instagram: @reggiedford & his website https://www.reggiedford.com/Follow us on IG: @vllgboyzTik Tok: @vllgboyz2Intro: "Tell Me" - AyamtuFollow us on IG: @vllgboyzIntro: "Tell Me" - Ayamtu

Last episode, we talked about the impact of knowing your black history . This episode we are diving into a pillar of black culture, hip hop. We talk history, impact, and the romanticizing of street life through the eyes of a visionary music producer/artist/musical genius.Our guest’s reputation precedes him. From working with Kodak black and winning multiple awards from his work with NBA Youngboy, to now paving the way for a new wave in rap music. Enjoy. Follow him on Instagram: @dubbaaaFollow us on IG: @vllgboyzIntro: "Tell Me" - AyamtuFollow us on IG: @vllgboyzIntro: "Tell Me" - Ayamtu