Writing Black Joy

Writing Comedy with Greg Edwards

Today I have with me one of my dream podcast guests - Greg Edwards. 
Greg Edwards is a fearless comedian from Virginia. Greg moved to San Francisco in 2001 and became a fixture on the Bay Area comedy scene. Greg is known for his distinctive voice, awkward views and social commentary. He's performed at Jamie Foxx's Laffapollozza, SF SketchFest, SF Burrito & Comedy Fest, Riot LA, and clubs and colleges all over California. Greg was awarded the prestigious Dan Crawford Award from the San Francisco Punchline in 2009 and moved to Los Angeles in 2010.  Greg has performed at the Laugh Factory, The Comedy Store, The Hollywood Improv, The IceHouse, & all the popular independent shows in LA.
Greg has worked with Dave Chappelle, Paul Mooney, Patrice O'Neal, Damon Wayans, Bill Burr, Charlie Murphy, Maria Bamford, Jim Jeffries, Harland Williams, Bill Bellamy, Deon Cole, W. Kamau Bell and many more outstanding comedians. Most recently, Greg stars as "Sparky Sweets PhD" of the critically-acclaimed web series THUG NOTES, Greg was also in season 1 of Comedy Central's Corporate and also was in Comedy Central's Black Depression video "Demetrinox".
Greg has been in Entertainment Weekly, Forbes, The International New York Times and has been on BET, Comedy Central, interviewed on the Tavis Smiley show on PBS & has recently released 3 independent comedy albums Gregarious, Fuck you Greg & Dopamine.
Greg and I talked about:
The importance of relationships 
The space that writing creates
How conversations can boost your creativity 
The evolution of a creative process - particularly with a live audience
What we gain and lose with time and age
Getting inspiration for your creative projects
I even got to give Greg some encouragement on his current creative project - that you might find useful if you are working on anything!
And we spoke about my blog post about the 6 Thinking Hats for writing.
Greg also mentioned Rest is Resistance by Tricia Hersey and you can learn more about it here.
And you can learn more about me at https://www.safiyarobinson.com/

Finding joy with Tracey Michae’l Lewis-Giggetts

Welcome back to Writing Black Joy, and today I have with me one of my dream guests - Tracey Michae’l Lewis-Giggetts. She is an incredible author, so let me tell you about her.
As a writer and thought-leader, Tracey Michae’l Lewis-Giggetts offers those who read her work and hear her speak an authentic experience; an opportunity to explore the intersection of culture, identity, and faith/spirituality at the deepest levels. 
She is the founder of HeARTspace, a healing community created to serve those who have experienced trauma of any kind through the use of storytelling and the arts. Tracey has Bachelor of Arts degree in Communication from the University of Kentucky, a Master of Business Administration degree from Montclair State University, and a Master of Fine Arts degree from Fairleigh-Dickinson University. 
She is a former Assistant Professor of English and Black Studies at the Community College of Philadelphia. As a writer, Tracey has published eighteen books including several collaborations with numerous high-profile authors. In 2021, Tracey became one of 20 writers who contributed to the groundbreaking book, You are Your Best Thing: Vulnerability, Shame Resilience, and the Black Experience edited by acclaimed researcher, Brene Brown, and founder of the MeToo Movement, Tarana Burke. 
Her most recent publication is the critically-acclaimed book, Black Joy: Stories of Resistance, Resilience, and Restoration (Gallery/Simon and Schuster) which has received rave reviews from celebrities like Kerry Washington, literary writers like Kiese Laymon and Deesha Philyaw, and media outlets like Good Morning America, Essence Magazine, and USA Today. Her forthcoming book, Then They Came for Mine: Healing from the Trauma of Racial Violence, examines the source and impact of racial violence against Black people in all its forms and offers a blueprint for the way the Christian Church can help facilitate healing. 
Tracey has spoken on a number of platforms around the country on topics related to race/social justice, education, faith/spirituality, and wellness. Additionally, Tracey's freelance work has been published in print and online publications such as Oprah Daily, The Washington Post, Essence Magazine, The Guardian, The Chronicle for Higher Education, Ebony Magazine, TheRoot.com, and more.
Tracey and I talk about:
How she came to her joy journey through grief
Dance parties with her daughter and the duality of grief and joy,
Her search for the feeling of joy in her body
The both / and of stories of Black lives
Her definition of Black joy
How she writes from a place of authenticity
Inspiration and creating rituals that help her write
Switching her voice as a ghostwriter
The importance of finishing
How she chooses future projects from her myriad of ideas
And so much more. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.
You can find out more about Tracey at https://www.traceymlewis.com/
You can learn more about me at https://www.safiyarobinson.com/
 

On stage with Ayesis Clay

This week we have with us Ayesis Clay - poet and playwright extraordinaire and so much more. Find out why she never actually considered herself a playwright - despite the fact that she has been writing plays since she was in primary (elementary) school, and hear her read from a current work in progress - A Million Tiny Ways.
 Ayesis Clay is a master teacher, multidisciplinary theatre artist, and educational consultant. She has developed theatre arts curriculum for Prince George’s County Public Schools, the Maryland Department of Juvenile Services, and many local and regional theatre companies. She served as a leader of the Prince George’s County Theatre Advisory Board where she developed and facilitated pre-service workshops while mentoring both new and seasoned teachers.
Combining her extensive background in theatre and education, Ayesis founded Sculpted Clay Productions, where she uses innovative theatre-infused residencies and professional development workshops to help schools create trauma-sensitive, social-emotional focused learning environments for teachers and students.
You will want to listen to Ayesis’s interview - we go deep and it is a wonderful conversation! Listen below.
And you can hear Ayesis read an excerpt to “A million tiny ways” as well as learn more about her.
And you can find out more about me at https://www.safiyarobinson.com/

Becoming Unbreakable with Soribel Martinez

Today I have with me Soribel Martinez and let me tell you she is a powerhouse. Her personality is infectious and we had an amazing conversation about her book Unbreakable. Let me tell you a bit about her.
Soribel Martínez is a Licensed Clinical Psychotherapist, is the CEO of SMPSychotherapy and Counseling Services, business coach and consultant, public speaker, adjunct professor of Psychology at Post University, a Doctor of Social Work candidate at Walden University, and the founder of JC's Precious Minds Foundation
Soribel has faced her share of challenges as a Dominican-American immigrant, from navigating school in her second language, recovering from religious trauma, losing a child, facing multiple brain aneurysms, and all of the usual heartbreak women face.
In Unbreakable, Soribel guides you to reconnect with your Creator, figure out exactly what you want, and then take massive, inspired action toward your goals.
Soribel and I discuss
The importance of a marketing plan
Ideas around legacy, and the dreams that we have that we may not see come to fruition in our lifetime - and her incredible wisdom around this.
How a diagnosis shifted her life
Her journey with English as a second language, and how she came to write her book in English
Her writing routine/process and how she leaned into support during writing and publishing her book
How she used social media while writing and publishing
Acknowledging the experiences in your life and working through those feelings as you move into joy and becoming unbreakable
Including others in your story
Being prepared for speaking our stories out loud during launching - especially if we are more comfortable writing than speaking.
How you are the best person to market your book
Her foundation that supports mothers with special needs in the Dominican republic
Pillars of business success that she included in her book unbreakable
Details of her next book
And so much more
I hope you enjoy our conversation as much as I did.
You can find out more about Unbreakable at https://book.soribelmartinez.com/
And you can learn more about Soribel and get onto her waiting list here! https://soribelmartinez.com/
And you can find out more about me at https://www.safiyarobinson.com/

Let’s talk collaborations with Dr Davia Shepherd

Today I am joined by Dr Davia Shepherd - a fellow writer from the Caribbean, who also shares my love for collaboration. Here is a bit about Dr Shepherd.
Dr. Davia H. Shepherd is the author of Grow Smarter. And she is also a Mom, a sister, a daughter and a wife. And, she hosts and coordinates a women’s collaboration club: Ladies Power Lunch.
She helps her patients feel better every day, but the one thing that she is most passionate about, and that gets her out of bed in the morning is supporting women in business to live their optimal lives through growing their visibility, reach, impact and income. She is a beacon for beacons. 
At her intuitive core, Davia has always known, even as a child, that when we all pull together, we can achieve unbelievably amazing results; whether we are talking about health, relationships, finances or even our careers. Her focus especially in this time is to connect us with each other and with our true inner amazing selves, so that we may live the lives we have the potential for. 
Her best selling book “Grow Smarter…collaboration secrets to transform your income and impact” is focused on providing us with a framework for using the power of collaboration with fellow entrepreneurs to grow our businesses even during unusual times. 
She invites you to connect with her through LPL’s monthly workshops and Facebook Community, LPL Summits, LPL Retreats or working with her one on one to make quantum leaps in your impact and income.
Davia and I talk about:
The importance of connection
The magic of collaboration
How she created her community Ladies power lunch
How you can leverage being a part of an anthology
The importance of support when it comes to writing and sharing your work
Finding a way to share your story
And so much more!
Find out more about Davia's work at:
www.ladiespowerlunch.com. 
And you can order her book on Amazon.com, Amazon.co.uk or search for it in the closest amazon marketplace to you!
And you can find out more about me at https://www.safiyarobinson.com/

From runner to writer with Martinus Evans

Today I am joined by Martinus Evans. Martinus is a brilliant storyteller - and it may or may not be because he has the best stories. Either way - you're gonna love this conversation and you're gonna love his book!
Martinus Evans has run over eight marathons since his doctor told him to “lose weight or die” in July 2012. Since then, he’s also coached hundreds of runners and founded the Slow AF Run Club, a community of over 10,000 members worldwide. He is also the author of the book Slow AF Run Club: The ultimate guide for anybody who wants to run.  When he’s not running races around the world, he enjoys speaking passionately about issues related to size-inclusivity, mindset, DEI and mental health.
This conversation was so much fun! Just a note that there is a tiny amount of swearing here, so if you have kids around, slap in some headphones. 
Martinus and I talked about:
The inspiration (and future dream plans) for the slow AF run club
How Martinus thinks about representation in his work and what he creates 
The places running has taken him and what he loves about it 
Posing nude in men's health magazine
How he made writing his first book manageable for him by crunching the numbers
The ups and downs of publishing his book
What he is creating next for the slow AF run club 
Letting our creations take on a life of their own
How our relationship with what we create changes when we turn the thing we love into work
I hope that you enjoy this conversation as much as I did!
Grab his book below!
https://slowafrunclub.com/preorder/
And you can find out more about me at https://www.safiyarobinson.com/
 
 

Welcome to season 3 of Writing Black Joy!

Season 3 is here and this is episode 1 - and it’s a solo episode! Today is all about telling you about the Writing Black Joy project as a whole, how I have been relating to it and thinking about it, and what is next for Writing Black Joy - both in this season, and in the future.
 
One person I talked about in the episode but couldn’t for the life of me remember her name was Mollie Chen. She was the business coach I spoke to before I decided to start this project! Thanks Mollie it would not exist without you! 
 
In addition, here are some of the links I mentioned:
My mailing list
Rosemarie Callender and her podcast - Podcast to Amplify
The Writing Black Joy website
My latest book - Wellbeing for Dentists
And feel free to email me on safiyarobinson@gmail.com
 
See you next week!

Creating a textbook with Cedric Scott

This week's guest is Cedric Scott who is the founder and creative behind ancient baby brand. Cedric was and continues to be an educator, and he is also a writer, poet, chemist and entrepreneur as well as a husband and father. 
 
His brand is at the corner of wisdom and innovation focusing on education, self-care and lifestyle. 
 
Cedric and I talk about: 
 
How he transformed what his students were learning about Black history by creating Melanated Mathematics - math content in the context of black history and culture. 
 
His brand Ancient Baby brand and how he developed his brand from grooming products to textbooks. 
 
The importance of legacy in everything he does, 
 
The various collaborations he has had with other Black creatives and business folks throughout his career,
 
His writing and how poetry was the gateway into other forms of writing.
 
His creative process and so much more.
 
You can check out season 1 and other season 2 guests of Writing Black Joy over on https://www.writingblackjoy.com/
 
If you want to support us you can join our Patreon community over at https://www.patreon.com/safiyarobinson
 
You can find Cedric at https://ancientbabybrand.com/
 
You can follow Cedric on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/ancientbabybrand/
 
You can follow me on Instagram on https://www.instagram.com/safiyarobinson77/
 
If you want to know about working with me, go over to https://www.safiyarobinson.com/
 

Being Poet Laureate of Tacoma Washington with Kellie Richardson

This week's guest is Kellie Richardson, who is a writer, poet and author. Kellie also spent 2 years as the poet laureate of Tacoma Washington. In 2017 - 2019. 
 
She has written 2 collections of poetry and we had a great conversation about her writing as well as her visual art. And you can take a look at our conversation on YouTube if you want to see some of her art!
 
We talked about:
 
Being the first Black female poet laureate in Tacoma
 
How she created an intergenerational space for creatives to show her city that poetry is for everyone.
 
Why she didn't begin to share her work or embrace being a poet until she was in her late thirties
 
The narrowness of "categories" that legitimize air quotes proper writing and what is considered canon. 
 
How she has fused her poetry and her visual art
 
How she assembled her poetry collections,
 
Walking the line of joy and grief, and holding opposing emotions 
 
The questions to ask yourself if you are afraid to claim an identity as a writer and so much more. 
 
You can check out season 1 and other season 2 guests of Writing Black Joy over on https://www.writingblackjoy.com/
 
If you want to support us you can join our Patreon community over at https://www.patreon.com/safiyarobinson
 
You can learn more about Kellie on her website https://www.brownbetty.org/
 
You can follow Kellie on Instagram over on https://www.instagram.com/brownbetty253/
 
You can follow me on Instagram on https://www.instagram.com/safiyarobinson77/
 
If you want to know about working with me, go over to https://www.safiyarobinson.com/
 
 
 

Traditional Publishing with Dalia Kinsey

This week, my guest is Dalia Kinsey, a nutritionist, speaker and author, who works at the intersection of holistic wellness and social justice.
Dalia and I talk about:
Identities, how we identify and how the language of identities is personal and changes over time.
Health vs healthcare and how our daily experiences and emotions including joy impact our health behaviours. 
Why Dalia wrote a book specifically for BIPOC and LGBTQIA folks.
How Dalia worked up the courage to write a book proposal and get a traditional publishing deal.
And so much more. 
You can check out season 1 and other season 2 guests of Writing Black Joy over on https://www.writingblackjoy.com/
You can find more about Dalia at https://www.daliakinsey.com/
If you want to support us you can join our Patreon community over at https://www.patreon.com/safiyarobinson
If you are outside of Barbados, you can find Dalia's book Decolonizing Wellness on Amazon. Use this link, or find the region that is closest to you 
You can follow me on Instagram on https://www.instagram.com/safiyarobinson77
If you want to know about working with me, go over to https://www.safiyarobinson.com/