//podcastplus.net/feed/podcast~220ff6cb0424fefd635536cee51985a6cd93b7f418a8163a4e801a5821f89181 Hi there, and thank you for joining this space with me. Welcome to Wish You Were Here, the podcast where we open up to each other and cherish human connection. Guests that come on are people in my life (and yours) that I absolutely love and adore -- now it's time to dig a little deeper. Fri, 15 May 2026 16:20:58 +0000 https://anchor.fm/s/626e98a0/podcast/play/49742953/https%3A%2F%2Fd3ctxlq1ktw2nl.cloudfront.net%2Fstaging%2F2022-2-28%2F256438697-44100-2-45ba98dd9253b.m4a Hey there! Today we’re hosting my very good friend Tajahn Wilson. Tajahn and I discuss why we wish people would ask how we feel more, our preference for deep & emotional conversations, and how we’ve been flourishing since nurturing our sensitive side. We relate over the hypercriticism we dealt with in childhood, being in competition with siblings for resources & attention, and reckoning our parent’s expectations of us with our personal desires. We get to the bottom of why Tajahn is actually in college, and he opens up about his recovery since being hit by a car in 2020. This episode felt like drinking from cold water on a hot summer day: wayyy more refreshing than I expected it to be. I love Tajahn so much and I know you will too! Until next time, bye for now. --------------------- Hello! And welcome to Wish You Were Here: the show were we open up to each other and cherish human connection. Join me as I connect with the people I love & challenge them to see what’s valuable within t... Tue, 29 Mar 2022 16:00:00 +0000 https://anchor.fm/s/626e98a0/podcast/play/49742953/https%3A%2F%2Fd3ctxlq1ktw2nl.cloudfront.net%2Fstaging%2F2022-2-28%2F256438697-44100-2-45ba98dd9253b.m4a https://anchor.fm/s/626e98a0/podcast/play/49445809/https%3A%2F%2Fd3ctxlq1ktw2nl.cloudfront.net%2Fstaging%2F2022-2-22%2F255296536-44100-2-64bce809bc0cc.m4a Hey there! Today I’m talking with my friend and mentor, Dorothy Colon. We talk about why we like flexing our personal authenticity, why we don’t like being perceived, anxiety disorders, and why Dorothy’s trying to stop being an overthinker. We also get into Dorothy’s experience with pole dancing, how she’s embraced the art form, and how we’re finding safety & comfort in sexuality. This conversation is full of serendipity, and I’m thankful to have found someone I relate to so deeply. I know you’ll enjoy! Until next time, bye for now. Find Dorothy here: IG: https://www.instagram.com/dapperdiane/ Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCXQUJgO2zwrPqbDulgX7Keg -------------------- Hello! And welcome to Wish You Were Here: the show were we open up to each other and cherish human connection. Join me as I connect with the people I love & challenge them to see what’s valuable within themselves. Maybe one day, you’ll be the next guest. Subscribe & follow this show on wha... Tue, 22 Mar 2022 18:47:28 +0000 https://anchor.fm/s/626e98a0/podcast/play/49445809/https%3A%2F%2Fd3ctxlq1ktw2nl.cloudfront.net%2Fstaging%2F2022-2-22%2F255296536-44100-2-64bce809bc0cc.m4a https://anchor.fm/s/626e98a0/podcast/play/49098795/https%3A%2F%2Fd3ctxlq1ktw2nl.cloudfront.net%2Fstaging%2F2022-2-15%2F253950479-44100-2-3c2350c58ba12.m4a I am delighted and so thrilled to share this next guest with you. Today I’m hosting my dear friend and SPARK baby, Te’Aja McCoy! We discuss the SPARK retreat & the benefits of deep emotional connection, the loneliness we experience in college (and relying on connection for our survival), the hoops she had to jump through to make college a reality for herself, and how Te’Aja got a full ride to 22 colleges and universities! Te’Aja talks about the inseparable bond she shares with her grandfather, what it’s been like to be away from him since being in school, and the difficult reckoning that comes with losing loved ones. This episode stands out as a favorite for me because of Te’Aja’s incredible storytelling, and it’s definitely one you don’t want to miss. I love y’all! And I’ll be talking to you soon, bye for now. Find Te'Aja here: IG: https://www.instagram.com/brwngirlt/ Her poetry account: https://www.instagram.com/thegirlwhowritesshit/ -------------------- Hello! And we... Tue, 15 Mar 2022 19:09:42 +0000 https://anchor.fm/s/626e98a0/podcast/play/49098795/https%3A%2F%2Fd3ctxlq1ktw2nl.cloudfront.net%2Fstaging%2F2022-2-15%2F253950479-44100-2-3c2350c58ba12.m4a https://anchor.fm/s/626e98a0/podcast/play/48757768/https%3A%2F%2Fd3ctxlq1ktw2nl.cloudfront.net%2Fstaging%2F2022-2-8%2F252613081-44100-2-c6ddf4bd12021.m4a Hello everyone! Our next guest is my friend, Kayla Brown. Kayla and I discuss why we’ve been needing to relax more, why we keep waking up with a strange sense of impending doom, and how we tune into our bodies when we need to release stress. We hypothesize about the concept of reincarnation, death, and not understanding what happens to our essence once we pass away. I explore some lessons I’ve learned since losing my father, and we reminiscence about our loved one’s that have passed away. I’m so appreciative of Kayla’s vulnerability and willingness to ask some really big questions with me. Conversations like this are a great reminder to always be considering new perspectives, so I hope you take a lot from it! Until next week, bye for now. -------------------- Hello! And welcome to Wish You Were Here: the show were we open up to each other and cherish human connection. Join me as I connect with the people I love & challenge them to see what’s valuable within themselves. Maybe one day, y... Tue, 08 Mar 2022 22:48:55 +0000 https://anchor.fm/s/626e98a0/podcast/play/48757768/https%3A%2F%2Fd3ctxlq1ktw2nl.cloudfront.net%2Fstaging%2F2022-2-8%2F252613081-44100-2-c6ddf4bd12021.m4a https://anchor.fm/s/626e98a0/podcast/play/47941711/https%3A%2F%2Fd3ctxlq1ktw2nl.cloudfront.net%2Fstaging%2F2022-1-20%2F249479560-44100-2-468af5bd56b1a.m4a Happy Tuesday folks. Today I am joined by my friend Benecia! We discuss her deep love of dogs (and how they help her stay calm), how she processes and copes with anxiety, what physical sensations that come with anxiety, and the stress of planning for the future. Benecia talks about the competitiveness of dance and what draws her to the sport, the distinction between dance as art and dance as competition, why we (the audience) should be looking to feel what a dancer is creating for us, and the importance of setting herself apart in dancing (by giving every move her own unique flair). We explore why Benecia goes to sleep and wakes up to television, her recent interest in Real Housewives of Potomac, and why we like to narrate television shows & movies as we watch them. She also gets vulnerable as she expresses gratitude for her mother, explores the grudges that exist within her family and why she’s working on letting stuff go. I loved this conversation because of how much we relate to one another’s... Tue, 22 Feb 2022 05:00:00 +0000 https://anchor.fm/s/626e98a0/podcast/play/47941711/https%3A%2F%2Fd3ctxlq1ktw2nl.cloudfront.net%2Fstaging%2F2022-1-20%2F249479560-44100-2-468af5bd56b1a.m4a https://anchor.fm/s/626e98a0/podcast/play/47694283/https%3A%2F%2Fd3ctxlq1ktw2nl.cloudfront.net%2Fproduction%2Fexports%2F626e98a0%2F47694283%2F7e28c82d274b8e1624a9471edfd8060c.m4a Hey y’all! Today I’m joined by my wonderful friend, Sieway Hunt. She and I discuss her experience being a Black cheerleader at UNC-Chapel Hill, why she decided to join Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Inc. and what she hopes to accomplish within the organization, her close connection to her younger sister and mother, and understanding her value as a role model.Sieway explains why she wishes people asked her more questions, how she’s mastering staying true to herself no matter the people she’s around, and why quarantine allowed for more self-exploration and discovery. I also hear about the hard work required to succeed in the world of gymnastics (and how the sport has shifted for Black girls), and Sieway recaps her transition from gymnastics to cheerleading. Enjoy this conversation! I love y’all. Bye for now.-----------------------------------------------------Hello! And welcome to Wish You Were Here: the show were we open up to each other and cherish human connection. Join me as I connect with the people ... Tue, 15 Feb 2022 19:04:01 +0000 https://anchor.fm/s/626e98a0/podcast/play/47694283/https%3A%2F%2Fd3ctxlq1ktw2nl.cloudfront.net%2Fproduction%2Fexports%2F626e98a0%2F47694283%2F7e28c82d274b8e1624a9471edfd8060c.m4a https://anchor.fm/s/626e98a0/podcast/play/47370544/https%3A%2F%2Fd3ctxlq1ktw2nl.cloudfront.net%2Fproduction%2Fexports%2F626e98a0%2F47370544%2F44c3f82a03a7193b05a30973b547b40d.m4a Start your free trial of Audible books today using this link: www.audibletrial.com/jai. For every free trial created, the show makes $15. So please help us out! Our next guest is my friend (and resident fly girl) Maha Ballard! We discuss the impact Maha’s family has on her life (and what it’s like growing up with 7 siblings), her being exposed to many different ethnicities inside her household, why we can’t decide if we want to have kids, and admitting that we do not, in fact, work best under pressure. She digs into the aftermath of her junior year of college and how she reoriented her life to be more meaningful, the imposter syndrome she’s dealing with (and overcoming), and how much FOMO comes with being a college student. Maha explains why she began romanticizing the mundane moments of her life, why there is value in taking things slow, and why she takes care to be thoughtful with her words. We express our love of North Carolina and why we don't mind living here, some things in o... Tue, 08 Feb 2022 16:25:54 +0000 https://anchor.fm/s/626e98a0/podcast/play/47370544/https%3A%2F%2Fd3ctxlq1ktw2nl.cloudfront.net%2Fproduction%2Fexports%2F626e98a0%2F47370544%2F44c3f82a03a7193b05a30973b547b40d.m4a https://anchor.fm/s/626e98a0/podcast/play/46790171/https%3A%2F%2Fd3ctxlq1ktw2nl.cloudfront.net%2Fstaging%2F2022-1-1%2F245469717-44100-2-13e2923ffacf.m4a Hiya everybody! Please help me welcome our next guest to the show, Diana Debnam. Join us as we discuss the unexpected benefits that come from getting older, learning to manage the expectations we have of ourselves and others, her family dynamic growing up in Fayetteville, her close relationship with her sister, and her family’s connection to religion. Diana explains why she values honesty and authenticity in her relationships, why she feels drawn to the healthcare field, and how she dealt with her paranoia regarding catching COVID-19. She also shares the impact of growing up in a predominately white school (particularly during the 2020 presidential election), her plans for navigating post-grad life, and we gush briefly over our love of sports. I really enjoyed getting to know Diana and was happy to hear how much we relate to one another. Make sure you kick back, relax, and savor this laid-back episode of WYWH. I’ll talk to you next week! ------------------------------ Hello! And welcome to Wish ... Tue, 01 Feb 2022 04:32:43 +0000 https://anchor.fm/s/626e98a0/podcast/play/46790171/https%3A%2F%2Fd3ctxlq1ktw2nl.cloudfront.net%2Fstaging%2F2022-1-1%2F245469717-44100-2-13e2923ffacf.m4a https://anchor.fm/s/626e98a0/podcast/play/45879938/https%3A%2F%2Fd3ctxlq1ktw2nl.cloudfront.net%2Fstaging%2F2022-0-9%2F241430157-44100-2-db7adbd062644.m4a Happy Tuesday, everyone! And please join me as we welcome our next guest and friend of the show, Jarrah Faye. Jarrah & I discuss what it feels like being consistently let down by UNC, why Jarrah values being alone, us being sensitive individuals (and why sensitive children need parent’s with patience), her childhood and early emotional experiences with her family, and how seeing her family struggle personally impacts her in adulthood.We open up about the pain of being misunderstood and the joy that results from embracing your fullest self. I ask Jarrah about her experience being dark-skinned and the microaggressions she encounters from others. Jarrah shares how she’d characterize her form of activism, why she prefers the term “truth-telling” over “activism”, how social media allowed her to explore her activism in an accessible way, and the benefits and drawbacks of cancel culture. Jarrah talks about the newly-revitalized NAACP chapter at UNC and its goals as an organization.This conversation p... Tue, 18 Jan 2022 05:00:00 +0000 https://anchor.fm/s/626e98a0/podcast/play/45879938/https%3A%2F%2Fd3ctxlq1ktw2nl.cloudfront.net%2Fstaging%2F2022-0-9%2F241430157-44100-2-db7adbd062644.m4a https://anchor.fm/s/626e98a0/podcast/play/45879734/https%3A%2F%2Fd3ctxlq1ktw2nl.cloudfront.net%2Fstaging%2F2022-0-9%2F241429061-44100-2-4cbef1cdbea3c.m4a Hello and welcome back to season 2 of Wish You Were Here! I missed y’all like crazy and am excited to get things rolling again.Kicking us off is our next guest, Xavier Nonez! X is a Durham native and recent graduate of UNC-Chapel Hill (where he was an Executive Leadership Council Scholar & Harvey Beech Scholar). Join us as we discuss X’s recent move to San Francisco, why he embraces adventure and learning new things, how he ended up at UNC (and his being a Duke fan prior to attending UNC), and his relationship to the business school and how he’s grown as a businessman. We discuss X’s pledging of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. and his connections with his brothers, financial wellness and wealth-building in the Black community, and how he is constructing his own financial future.X describes learning to be more emotionally vulnerable with his loved ones, we both speculate on if/how we like to be perceived, and our efforts to always be authentic in our expression. Xavier has got major swag! I truly ... Tue, 11 Jan 2022 05:00:00 +0000 https://anchor.fm/s/626e98a0/podcast/play/45879734/https%3A%2F%2Fd3ctxlq1ktw2nl.cloudfront.net%2Fstaging%2F2022-0-9%2F241429061-44100-2-4cbef1cdbea3c.m4a