//podcastplus.net/feed/what-shapes-us~b5bb63db What Shapes Us is an exploration into the incidents and accidents that shape us into being. Selema Masekela, a relentlessly curious narrator of the human experience, takes us on a journey through personal anecdotes from his own life and in depth, conversational exchanges with a wide landscape of dynamic and interesting individuals. Athletes, activists, artists, critical thinkers, disruptors; anyone with a unique perspective on this thing called life, is welcome to contribute answers to the always evolving question...What Shapes Us Sat, 30 May 2026 07:27:37 +0000 https://anchor.fm/s/291afbfc/podcast/play/106587906/https%3A%2F%2Fd3ctxlq1ktw2nl.cloudfront.net%2Fstaging%2F2025-7-7%2Ff855baac-847d-b9eb-0e1b-6ccfb62312df.mp3 In this powerful episode of What Shapes Us Selema Masekela (@selema) sits down with Olympic gold medalist and alpine skiing legend Lindsey Vonn (@lindseyvonn) for an intimate conversation about identity reinvention and the mental toll of greatness. Lindsey reflects on her journey from a fearless kid on the slopes of Minnesota to becoming one of the most decorated skiers in history and what happened when the racing stopped. With vulnerability and insight she opens up about navigating injury fame depression and the pressure to constantly prove herself. Selema and Lindsey dive deep into what it means to grieve the loss of your former self the healing that comes with stillness and how she’s finding new purpose through entrepreneurship writing and giving back through the Lindsey Vonn Foundation. Whether you're a fan of sports resilience or real conversations about evolving beyond a singular identity this episode offers hard won wisdom and inspiring perspective. Follow us: Lindsey Vonn: @... Fri, 08 Aug 2025 07:00:00 +0000 https://anchor.fm/s/291afbfc/podcast/play/106587906/https%3A%2F%2Fd3ctxlq1ktw2nl.cloudfront.net%2Fstaging%2F2025-7-7%2Ff855baac-847d-b9eb-0e1b-6ccfb62312df.mp3 https://anchor.fm/s/291afbfc/podcast/play/49391641/https%3A%2F%2Fd3ctxlq1ktw2nl.cloudfront.net%2Fstaging%2F2022-2-21%2F99c2e541-afa4-dcc9-d798-4be41da62e4e.mp3 Motivation was stifled during the pandemic and artists where ether going into a creative hyphenation or found ways to recenter them self and reevaluate their creativity. Our guests, Louis the Child and PineappleCITI, talk through how they took on quarantine and what challenges they faced musically with it. How they stayed motivated and even rediscovered it.  Tue, 22 Mar 2022 07:00:00 +0000 https://anchor.fm/s/291afbfc/podcast/play/49391641/https%3A%2F%2Fd3ctxlq1ktw2nl.cloudfront.net%2Fstaging%2F2022-2-21%2F99c2e541-afa4-dcc9-d798-4be41da62e4e.mp3 https://anchor.fm/s/291afbfc/podcast/play/49391641/https%3A%2F%2Fd3ctxlq1ktw2nl.cloudfront.net%2Fstaging%2F2022-2-21%2F99c2e541-afa4-dcc9-d798-4be41da62e4e.mp3 Motivation was stifled during the pandemic and artists where ether going into a creative hyphenation or found ways to recenter them self and reevaluate their creativity. Our guests, Louis the Child and PineappleCITI, talk through how they took on quarantine and what challenges they faced musically with it. How they stayed motivated and even rediscovered it.  Tue, 22 Mar 2022 07:00:00 +0000 https://anchor.fm/s/291afbfc/podcast/play/49391641/https%3A%2F%2Fd3ctxlq1ktw2nl.cloudfront.net%2Fstaging%2F2022-2-21%2F99c2e541-afa4-dcc9-d798-4be41da62e4e.mp3 https://anchor.fm/s/291afbfc/podcast/play/28295396/https%3A%2F%2Fd3ctxlq1ktw2nl.cloudfront.net%2Fstaging%2F2021-2-8%2F4129229d-279e-abfb-2f15-47bf750e80e1.mp3 This week Selema Talks to Joy Bryant After a 6 month hiatus, What Shapes Us returns! In this episode, Selema gets candid about why the podcast took such a long layoff and how the net effect of Covid, American race relations and the election took a definitive toll on his mental health. This week features a conversation between Selema and one of his dearest friends, the incredible actress and producer, Joy Bryant. Joy talks about her life growing up in the Bronx, the importance of her Grandmother, getting into and deciding to leave Yale and also the value of self belief when the stakes are high and the cards are dealt against you. Tue, 09 Mar 2021 08:00:00 +0000 https://anchor.fm/s/291afbfc/podcast/play/28295396/https%3A%2F%2Fd3ctxlq1ktw2nl.cloudfront.net%2Fstaging%2F2021-2-8%2F4129229d-279e-abfb-2f15-47bf750e80e1.mp3 https://anchor.fm/s/291afbfc/podcast/play/28295396/https%3A%2F%2Fd3ctxlq1ktw2nl.cloudfront.net%2Fstaging%2F2021-2-8%2F4129229d-279e-abfb-2f15-47bf750e80e1.mp3 This week Selema Talks to Joy Bryant After a 6 month hiatus, What Shapes Us returns! In this episode, Selema gets candid about why the podcast took such a long layoff and how the net effect of Covid, American race relations and the election took a definitive toll on his mental health. This week features a conversation between Selema and one of his dearest friends, the incredible actress and producer, Joy Bryant. Joy talks about her life growing up in the Bronx, the importance of her Grandmother, getting into and deciding to leave Yale and also the value of self belief when the stakes are high and the cards are dealt against you. Tue, 09 Mar 2021 08:00:00 +0000 https://anchor.fm/s/291afbfc/podcast/play/28295396/https%3A%2F%2Fd3ctxlq1ktw2nl.cloudfront.net%2Fstaging%2F2021-2-8%2F4129229d-279e-abfb-2f15-47bf750e80e1.mp3 https://anchor.fm/s/291afbfc/podcast/play/28295396/https%3A%2F%2Fd3ctxlq1ktw2nl.cloudfront.net%2Fstaging%2F2021-2-8%2F4129229d-279e-abfb-2f15-47bf750e80e1.mp3 This week Selema Talks to Joy Bryant After a 6 month hiatus, What Shapes Us returns! In this episode, Selema gets candid about why the podcast took such a long layoff and how the net effect of Covid, American race relations and the election took a definitive toll on his mental health. This week features a conversation between Selema and one of his dearest friends, the incredible actress and producer, Joy Bryant. Joy talks about her life growing up in the Bronx, the importance of her Grandmother, getting into and deciding to leave Yale and also the value of self belief when the stakes are high and the cards are dealt against you. Tue, 09 Mar 2021 08:00:00 +0000 https://anchor.fm/s/291afbfc/podcast/play/28295396/https%3A%2F%2Fd3ctxlq1ktw2nl.cloudfront.net%2Fstaging%2F2021-2-8%2F4129229d-279e-abfb-2f15-47bf750e80e1.mp3 https://anchor.fm/s/291afbfc/podcast/play/17046036/https%3A%2F%2Fd3ctxlq1ktw2nl.cloudfront.net%2Fstaging%2F2020-6-24%2F44929655-96f3-90e1-8d78-e28293e5d79a.mp3 The ocean has a deep meaning to me and in this episode I get into why surfing and the ocean is so imbedded in who I am as a human being. That is why on this episode I’m beyond ecstatic about our guest, Dr. Ayana Elizabeth Johnson. She is a marine biologist, policy expert, writer, and Brooklyn native. She is founder and CEO of Ocean Collectiv, Urban Ocean Lab, and co-created the Blue New Deal. She also has a new book out available to preorder called, “ All We Can Save ” about the climate movement, and solutions to lead humanity forward. We talk about how she found her life’s work, and what her visions are for the future. Fri, 24 Jul 2020 19:00:00 +0000 https://anchor.fm/s/291afbfc/podcast/play/17046036/https%3A%2F%2Fd3ctxlq1ktw2nl.cloudfront.net%2Fstaging%2F2020-6-24%2F44929655-96f3-90e1-8d78-e28293e5d79a.mp3 https://anchor.fm/s/291afbfc/podcast/play/17046036/https%3A%2F%2Fd3ctxlq1ktw2nl.cloudfront.net%2Fstaging%2F2020-6-24%2F44929655-96f3-90e1-8d78-e28293e5d79a.mp3 The ocean has a deep meaning to me and in this episode I get into why surfing and the ocean is so imbedded in who I am as a human being. That is why on this episode I’m beyond ecstatic about our guest, Dr. Ayana Elizabeth Johnson. She is a marine biologist, policy expert, writer, and Brooklyn native. She is founder and CEO of Ocean Collectiv, Urban Ocean Lab, and co-created the Blue New Deal. She also has a new book out available to preorder called, “ All We Can Save ” about the climate movement, and solutions to lead humanity forward. We talk about how she found her life’s work, and what her visions are for the future. Fri, 24 Jul 2020 19:00:00 +0000 https://anchor.fm/s/291afbfc/podcast/play/17046036/https%3A%2F%2Fd3ctxlq1ktw2nl.cloudfront.net%2Fstaging%2F2020-6-24%2F44929655-96f3-90e1-8d78-e28293e5d79a.mp3 https://anchor.fm/s/291afbfc/podcast/play/16390519/https%3A%2F%2Fd3ctxlq1ktw2nl.cloudfront.net%2Fstaging%2F2020-6-11%2Ff014ed66-75a6-19b9-9505-a68575127cbc.mp3 welcome to episode 1 of the What Shapes Us podcast. Our first guest is Adam J. Foss. Adam is a former Assistant District Attorney in the Juvenile Division of the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office (SCDAO) in Boston, MA. Since his viral Ted Talk on prosecution in February in 2016, Adam has gone on to found Prosecutor Impact, a non-profit developing training and curriculum for prosecutors to reframe their role in the criminal justice system. Selema talks with Adam about the current state of America two weeks after the killing of George Floyd. Fri, 10 Jul 2020 19:00:00 +0000 https://anchor.fm/s/291afbfc/podcast/play/16390519/https%3A%2F%2Fd3ctxlq1ktw2nl.cloudfront.net%2Fstaging%2F2020-6-11%2Ff014ed66-75a6-19b9-9505-a68575127cbc.mp3 https://anchor.fm/s/291afbfc/podcast/play/16390519/https%3A%2F%2Fd3ctxlq1ktw2nl.cloudfront.net%2Fstaging%2F2020-6-11%2Ff014ed66-75a6-19b9-9505-a68575127cbc.mp3 welcome to episode 1 of the What Shapes Us podcast. Our first guest is Adam J. Foss. Adam is a former Assistant District Attorney in the Juvenile Division of the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office (SCDAO) in Boston, MA. Since his viral Ted Talk on prosecution in February in 2016, Adam has gone on to found Prosecutor Impact, a non-profit developing training and curriculum for prosecutors to reframe their role in the criminal justice system. Selema talks with Adam about the current state of America two weeks after the killing of George Floyd. Fri, 10 Jul 2020 19:00:00 +0000 https://anchor.fm/s/291afbfc/podcast/play/16390519/https%3A%2F%2Fd3ctxlq1ktw2nl.cloudfront.net%2Fstaging%2F2020-6-11%2Ff014ed66-75a6-19b9-9505-a68575127cbc.mp3