Kume: Turning Point Diaries artwork

Kume: Turning Point Diaries

46 episodes - English - Latest episode: 4 months ago -

Kume: Turning Point Diaries is a bi-weekly podcast where we have honest and vulnerable conversations about personal journeys and lessons learned along the way. These are the truths that we never dare to say out loud, the fears we bury deep, but something miraculous happens when we are allowed the space to tell our stories. Join Yelka Kamara and her fascinating guests as they journey through topics such as identity, health, relationships, purpose, spirituality, loss, and transformation. Be inspired and empowered along the way. Please rate and review the show. Share the story!

Self-Improvement Education Business Careers self help personal development culture healing health identity purpose relationships spirituality therapy
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Episodes

How to Practice Self with the MyKume Journal | S3 EP8

November 15, 2023 18:00 - 38 minutes - 26.8 MB

Navigating life transitions with clarity and self-awareness. In this special edition of the Kume: Turning Point Diaries podcast, we explore the practice of self and the power of journaling. We introduce the MyKume Journal, a new tool designed to provide a consistent and introspective practice in your life through its many phases and transitions. Throughout the episode, we discuss the inspiration behind the journal, demonstrate how it works in real-time, and share testimonials from individua...

From DM to Brick-and-Mortar with Abou Sow | S3 EP7

March 01, 2023 05:00 - 1 hour - 45.6 MB

Today, we are privileged to have Abou Sow, the owner of Prince Abou's Butchery—one of the few Black-owned butcher shops in New York. Abou descends from a line of pastoral people from West Africa and learned the craft from his uncle's business at the young age of 11. While he was initially reluctant to work in his uncle's shop, he now operates a successful butchery, which started from Instagram DM. Along the way, he learned to respect and honor all life and embrace his role in the cycle of l...

Following Curiosity with Jenneh Kaikai | S3 EP6

January 26, 2023 11:00 - 1 hour - 45.7 MB

We start 2023 with a spirited conversation with Jenneh Kaikai, a self-taught baker, cake designer, and owner of Pelah Kitchen. In our conversation, Jenneh speaks candidly about her journey of building a business and brand rooted in her African heritage and investing in the communities there. We explore our identities and responsibilities as people of the African diaspora. Jenneh shares the principle of humility which guides her in all she does. This is a story of following your curiosity and...

Creating a Life of Freedom and Choice with Kewulay Kamara | S3 EP5

August 09, 2022 10:00 - 1 hour - 52.6 MB

We are excited and grateful to welcome back Kewulay Kamara, a fan favorite, master storyteller, and worldly scholar. Today's conversation is about freedom as a guiding principle in creating the life you want. We often talk about our hopes, dreams, goals, and the life we want, but we often don't connect these aspirations to freedom. However, living the life you wish usually means knowing and creating the freedom(s) you desire. Join us as we dive into Kamara's Finah journey and discover his k...

Living Generously with Tyler Weston | Season 3 Episode 4

December 07, 2021 05:00 - 1 hour - 52.8 MB

'Take freely, give cheerfully' These are the words that welcome visitors to the Love Stand, a community pantry in Ypsilanti, Michigan. In this week's episode, we speak with Tyler Weston, steward of the pantry. Tyler shares a message you received from God one morning in March of 2020 that led him to turn the front porch of a neighborhood home into a food pantry. But this is not just any food pantry. The Love Stand is a space for love, hope, and inspiration. In our conversation, Tyler opens u...

Pursuing Your Highest Calling with Victoria Rutledge | Season 3 Episode 3

November 22, 2021 21:00 - 1 hour - 45.3 MB

This week we are getting on the mat with yoga teacher Victoria Rutledge. In our conversation, Victoria moves us through her yoga practice, from the moment she stepped into a studio to now guiding others through breath, body, and soul. For Victoria, yoga is a physical, intellectual, and creative endeavor. She talks about being a Black woman in a predominantly white wellness space, challenging the status quo in the yoga community, and developing the discernment to ask for and get what she want...

Chasing the High with Meka Mo | Season 3 Episode 2

November 09, 2021 05:00 - 1 hour - 49.7 MB

This week we have a lively and hilarious conversation with comedian and fellow podcaster Meka Mo. In our conversation, Meka walks us through her comedic journey. She shares how she went from using humor as a weapon to defend herself to now using it as a tool to relate, heal and bring joy to others.  We also talk about owning your identity and taking your craft seriously. Meka’s cheerful spirit is contagious, and I hope that you laugh as much as I did while recording this episode. Let’s ke...

Keeping Your Inner Child Alive with Jesse Wilson | Season 3 Episode 1

October 26, 2021 05:00 - 1 hour - 60.7 MB

We kick off season three with a rawly uplifting conversation with Jesse Wilson. In this episode, Jesse opens up about his upbringing in an intense religious organization, the epicenter of the ecumenical charismatic renewal movement of the 1970s and 80s; his strange mini-celebrity status as “The Obedient Child” and his nearly 20-year career as a full-time pastor. He also talks about the moment he decided to pull the plug on his church to save his inner child.  Jesse courageously models how t...

On Oct. 26, We're back and ready to know ourselves more!

October 24, 2021 23:00 - 1 minute - 1.2 MB

In season three, we strive to know ourselves more. We are connecting with our inner child, making room for grace, prioritizing joy, and learning how to safeguard our personhood.  Join us as we gift ourselves and each other of healing that can be experienced once our wholeness is embraced and shared.  We begin sharing this Tuesday, October 26. Listen to the trailer above and keep the conversation going in the comments section of our website.

Season 2 Finale: Moments of Revelation, Transformation and Affirmation

July 06, 2021 13:00 - 41 minutes - 28.2 MB

We are officially done with our second season! For the season finale, we’ve compiled excerpts from both seasons 1 and 2. These are the conversations we rarely have, truths we never dare to say out loud, and the fears we bury deep, but something miraculous happens when we are allowed the space to tell our stories. In this episode, our guests share their revelations, transformations, and affirmations on creating and living a life true to who they are, and recall moments from their lives that s...

Season 2 Finale: Moments of Revelation, Transformation and Affirmation

July 06, 2021 13:00 - 41 minutes - 28.2 MB

We are officially done with our second season! For the season finale, we’ve compiled excerpts from both seasons 1 and 2. These are the conversations we rarely have, truths we never dare to say out loud, and the fears we bury deep, but something miraculous happens when we are allowed the space to tell our stories. In this episode, our guests share their revelations, transformations, and affirmations on creating and living a life true to who they are, and recall moments from their lives that s...

Human Instruction Manual with Marius Iliescu | Season 2 Episode 9

June 15, 2021 16:00 - 1 hour - 53.9 MB

This week we have an enlightening conversation with Marius Iliescu about life transitions. Marius takes us on an epic career adventure from a high-flying corporate attorney to a tourism entrepreneur to now a mindfulness and personal development coach. He tells us about the moment he decided to abandon the vain pursuit of material success and began to own his calling. Marius’s journey urges us to pause and ask introspective questions along our journey. Full show notes: https://bit.ly/2SsdGJz

Human Instruction Manual with Marius Iliescu

June 15, 2021 16:00 - 1 hour - 53.9 MB

This week we have an enlightening conversation with Marius Iliescu about life transitions. Marius takes us on an epic career adventure from a highflying corporate attorney to a tourism entrepreneur to now a mindfulness and personal development coach. He tells us about the moment he decided to abandon the vain pursuit of material success and began to own his calling. Marius’s journey urges us to pause and ask introspective questions along our journey. Full show notes: https://bit.ly/2SsdGJz

Becoming an Entrepreneur with Cielo Villa

June 01, 2021 11:00 - 1 hour - 47.6 MB

This week we speak with Cielo Villa, a trailblazing entrepreneur with a bold vision to revolutionize college access. Cielo is the founder of Road to Uni, a free online resource that acts as a supercharged and hyper-accessible college counselor, open to all. In our conversation, she shares her fascinating, winding journey into entrepreneurship. Cielo details some of the most painful moments of her life, which developed an inner fortitude to survive life's vicissitudes. She also talks about sc...

Becoming an Entrepreneur with Cielo Villa | Season 2 Episode 8

June 01, 2021 11:00 - 1 hour - 47.6 MB

This week we speak with Cielo Villa, a trailblazing entrepreneur with a bold vision to revolutionize college access. Cielo is the founder of Road to Uni, a free online resource that acts as a supercharged and hyper-accessible college counselor, open to all. In our conversation, she shares her fascinating, winding journey into entrepreneurship. Cielo details some of the most painful moments of her life, which developed an inner fortitude to survive life's vicissitudes. She also talks about sc...

Money Script with Rosa Colin | Season 2 Episode 7

May 18, 2021 15:00 - 57 minutes - 39.8 MB

There’s no denying that money plays a significant role in our everyday lives, yet many of us are uncomfortable talking about it. This week our guest Rosa Colin, ASW, talks openly and vulnerably about her journey with money. Rosa is a social worker with a passion for personal finance. For Rosa, the value of money took on a whole new meaning once she began to take charge of her finance. In our conversation, she reflects on her earliest money-related memories and experiences. Rosa explains the ...

Knowing Who I Am | Season 2 Episode 6

May 05, 2021 03:00 - 35 minutes - 24.2 MB

Knowing and accepting ourselves unconditionally is not a one-time event, but a continuously unfolding reality. In this episode, I dive into the concept of nyerelon, which means self-knowledge in my familial language of Kuranko from West Africa. I take you on the journey that led me to seek therapy and the discoveries I have made along the way. I share some aha! moments and owning my identity as a Finahmusu, or storyteller. For me, therapy has been my practice of self-knowledge, and I hope th...

Love Bombed with Anthea Taeuber | Season 2 Episode 5

April 21, 2021 01:00 - 57 minutes - 39.7 MB

Do you think you’ve met the love of your life? Stop. Step back. In this week’s episode, guest Anthea Taeuber tells a cautionary tale of love and manipulation. What began as a fun and exhilarating courtship quickly descended into something unloving and dangerous. She walks us from the moment her ex-boyfriend’s mask slipped and she saw and felt the violence within him, to the day she broke free from the cycle of abuse. Anthea is the co-founder and resident mind guide at We Are Warriors (WAW), ...

Healing with Worokya Duncan | Season 2 Episode 4

April 06, 2021 15:00 - 1 hour - 49.4 MB

This week we explore the topic of healing with Dr. Worokya Duncan, Ed.D. Worokya is a professional educator, wife, and mom of four. In our conversation, she shares the most intimate, personal, and complicated details of her dual upbringing in America and Liberia, which shaped the compassionate person she is today. Worokya also opens up about a sensitive, yet important topic; sexual abuse. With great courage, she walks us through the path of wrestling with shame, guilt, and her Christian fait...

Challenging the Status Quo with Carolyn Tran | Season 2 Episode 3

March 23, 2021 21:00 - 54 minutes - 37.6 MB

At times like this when there is a call for accountability around anti-Asian sentiments and racist violent acts, we need to elevate the voices of Asian people. This week we have a timely conversation with Carolyn Tran, a single mom running for New York City Council in District 25 in Queens. The daughter of refugees from Vietnam, Carolyn shares her journey of developing her own politics and values in college working behind the scenes as a public servant for the last twelve years and now boldl...

Quit the Comparisons with Liyah Washington | Season 2 Episode 2

March 09, 2021 05:00 - 1 hour - 54.3 MB

In this week's episode, we are talking about loving your life and not chasing someone else’s with Liyah Washington, a young professional with a moving life story. In our conversation, Liyah walks us through her childhood in foster care and how that particular part of her life taught her the importance of gratitude and being content. This is a source of knowledge that has aided her in becoming the positive and resilient person she is today. Join us in this beautiful and inspiring conversation...

Living in Alignment with Aminata Dia | Season 2 Episode 1

February 23, 2021 07:00 - 1 hour - 44.2 MB

We kick off season two with an enlightening conversation with my dear friend Aminata Dia, a design thinking consultant residing in Dakar, Senegal. Aminata opens up about the first time she wore a hijab in Paris and how it dramatically changed her lived reality.  In between, Aminata talks about her marriage and divorce in June 2019, her failures and insecurities, and what she has learned in the process of cultivating peace and acceptance of her narrative. This is a powerful story of accepti...

"Kume: Turning Point Diaries" is back this week!

February 21, 2021 15:00 - 1 minute - 1.05 MB

This season we journey through experiences that altered our lived realities. We also make space for lessons learned along the way. Join us as we explore the untold moments that shaped our character, vision, and values. We are reflecting all season, and it all starts this Tuesday, February 23. Here's a preview.  JOIN THE MAILING LIST: https://www.kumehouse.com/ Kume: Turning Point Diaries IG: https://bit.ly/3bv6Loa Kume: Turning Point Diaries FB: http://bit.ly/3aDAKes

Nanfule | Episode 11

December 22, 2020 14:00 - 39 minutes - 27.2 MB

This episode draws from a profound conversation I had on  Instagram Live with my storyteller father, Kewulay Kamara, back in April, about family history and community, and its relevance to the difficult times we are living in. He encourages us to celebrate change. Everything is going through changes and we need to learn to be comfortable with change and uncertainty. This is the time to have faith--to think beyond the current circumstances. "If you don't look beyond this point you are in, you...

Nanfule

December 22, 2020 14:00 - 39 minutes - 27.2 MB

This episode draws from a profound conversation I had on  Instagram Live with my storyteller father, Kewulay Kamara, back in April, about family history and community, and its relevance to the difficult times we are living in. He encourages us to celebrate change. Everything is going through changes and we need to learn to be comfortable with change and uncertainty. This is the time to have faith--to think beyond the current circumstances. "If you don't look beyond this point you are in, you...

Hidden Assumptions with Kewulay Kamara

December 08, 2020 05:00 - 59 minutes - 41.1 MB

What happens when you get two Finahs in a room? They tell stories. This week's episode is a genuine conversation between our host and her storyteller father, Kewulay Kamara, about their dynamic relationship. They discuss significant turning points in their  father-daughter relationship and the differences they see in those stories. Along the way, they uncover the hidden assumptions that underlie their narratives and disagreements. This episode reveals how we are all operating under hidden as...

Hidden Assumptions with Kewulay Kamara | Episode 10

December 08, 2020 05:00 - 59 minutes - 41.1 MB

What happens when you get two Finahs in a room? They tell stories. This week's episode is a genuine conversation between our host and her storyteller father, Kewulay Kamara, about their dynamic relationship. They discuss significant turning points in their father-daughter relationship and the differences they see in those stories. Along the way, they uncover the hidden assumptions that underlie their narratives and disagreements. This episode reveals how we are all operating under hidden ass...

Shifting Perspectives with Sia and Tommy Tarawalie | Episode 9

November 24, 2020 13:00 - 1 hour - 58.9 MB

This week we have a fun, honest, and inspiring conversation with Sia and Tommy Tarawalie, a young African couple on the move. Sia and Tommy co-host Shifting Perspectives podcast, where they share their experiences growing up in West African households and challenge many of the beliefs and norms that they were raised with. In our conversation, Sia and Tommy reflect on their childhoods in urban and rural Sierra Leone, the transitions they had to make when they immigrated to the United States, ...

Shifting Perspectives with Sia and Tommy Tarawalie

November 24, 2020 13:00 - 1 hour - 58.9 MB

This week we have a fun, honest and inspiring conversation with Sia and Tommy Tarawalie, a young African couple on the move. Sia and Tommy co-host Shifting Perspectives podcast, where they share their experiences growing up in West African households and challenge many of the beliefs and norms that they were raised with. In our conversation Sia and Tommy reflect on their childhoods in urban and rural Sierra Leone, the transitions they had to make when they immigrated to the United States and...

Making Lemonade with Susan V. Wheeler

November 10, 2020 05:00 - 59 minutes - 41 MB

We have all heard the phrase “when life gives you lemons make lemonade”, right?  Well, making lemonade is not always the easiest thing to do. In this week’s episode, we have an inspiring conversation with Susan V. Wheeler about the lemons thrown her way and how she was able to use the those lemons to make her life sweeter. Susan is a life-long entrepreneur, mindset coach, author of 'The Lemonade Diet,' mom of four  and grandmother of seven.  She shares the circumstances that led her to marr...

Making Lemonade with Susan V. Wheeler | Episode 8

November 10, 2020 05:00 - 59 minutes - 41 MB

We have all heard the phrase “when life gives you lemons make lemonade”, right?  Well, making lemonade is not always the easiest thing to do. In this week’s episode, we have an inspiring conversation with Susan V. Wheeler about the lemons thrown her way and how she was able to use them to make her life sweeter. Susan is a life-long entrepreneur, mindset coach, author of 'The Lemonade Diet,' mom of four and grandmother of seven.  She shares the circumstances that led her to marriage and moth...

Following Your North Star with Erik Goldman

October 27, 2020 04:00 - 1 hour - 60.1 MB

In this week’s episode, we sit down with a Renaissance man, Erik Goldman. Erik is a musician, medical journalist, and editor and co-founder of Holistic Primary Care - News for Health  & Healing. He talks about the  struggle of being authentic to himself and forging his own path  over following his father’s wishes of him becoming a physician. In between, he shares his reflections on this current moment, and  what his experience and narratives have been as a Jewish person in America committed ...

Following Your North Star with Erik Goldman | Episode 7

October 27, 2020 04:00 - 1 hour - 60.1 MB

In this week’s episode, we sit down with a Renaissance man, Erik Goldman. Erik is a musician, medical journalist, and editor and co-founder of Holistic Primary Care - News for Health  & Healing. He talks about the struggle of being authentic to himself and forging his own path over following his father’s wishes of him becoming a physician. In between, he shares his reflections on this current moment, and what his experience and narratives have been as a Jewish person in America committed to ...

Navigating Seasons of Uncertainties with Tyler Brewington

October 13, 2020 06:00 - 50 minutes - 35 MB

This week we have an invigorating conversation with Tyler Brewington, author and faith-based life coach from Los Angeles, California. In our conversation Tyler shares how she navigated seasons of uncertainties, including unexpectedly being let go from her job, and harnessing the power of her faith. Her story encourages us to ask ourselves who we are independent of contrived self-worth based titles and accolades. Tyler's book, I Cried Oceans: A Journey of Faith, Hope, and Resilience, is avai...

Navigating Seasons of Uncertainties with Tyler Brewington | Episode 6

October 13, 2020 06:00 - 50 minutes - 35 MB

This week we have an invigorating conversation with Tyler Brewington, author and faith-based life coach from Los Angeles, California. In our conversation, Tyler shares how she navigated seasons of uncertainties, including unexpectedly being let go from her job, and harnessing the power of her faith. Her story encourages us to ask ourselves who we are independent of contrived self-worth based on titles and accolades. Tyler's book, I Cried Oceans: A Journey of Faith, Hope, and Resilience, is ...

Finding Home with Eric Abrego | Episode 5

September 29, 2020 04:00 - 49 minutes - 34.3 MB

In this episode, I chat with Eric Abrego, an LA native working as a tech professional in NYC at LinkedIn. He shares his story of being raised by his grandmother in South Central LA, with an absent mother and incarcerated father. Through this experience, Eric developed an inner fortitude to survive life's vicissitudes. Join us as we talk about resilience, inner fortitude, and finding home within ourselves.

Finding Home with Eric Abrego

September 29, 2020 04:00 - 49 minutes - 34.3 MB

In this episode, I chat with Eric Abrego, an LA native working as a tech professional in NYC at LinkedIn. He shares his story of being raised by his grandmother in South Central LA, with an absent mother and incarcerated  father. Through this experience, Eric developed an inner fortitude to survive life's vicissitudes. Join us as we talk about resilience, inner fortitude, and finding home within ourselves.

Freedom Garden with Tylee Sewell

September 15, 2020 04:00 - 54 minutes - 37.5 MB

In this week’s episode, guest Tylee Sewell takes us on a trip into nature from her native New York City to Virginia, Georgia and finally Sacramento, California. She shares the path that has taken her from commercial graphic design to her current artistic medium as a landscape designer and horticulturist. In between, Tylee tells the scary story of how at almost the point of death she abandoned the pursuit of the American Dream to discover her love of the outdoors and growing things. Tylee’s l...

Freedom Garden with Tylee Sewell | Episode 4

September 15, 2020 04:00 - 54 minutes - 37.5 MB

In this week’s episode, guest Tylee Sewell takes us on a trip into nature from her native New York City to Virginia, Georgia, and finally Sacramento, California. She shares the path that has taken her from commercial graphic design to her current artistic medium as a landscape designer and horticulturist. In between, Tylee tells the scary story of how at almost the point of death she abandoned the pursuit of the American Dream to discover her love of the outdoors and growing things. Tylee’s ...

Beyond The Pain with David Koeppel

September 01, 2020 05:00 - 37 minutes - 25.8 MB

We all experience aches and pains from time to time, but very few of us know what it's like to have that pain completely take over our lives.  In this episode, we talk to David Koeppel about silently living with chronic pain and its impact on his life. David is the Associate Director of Communications at The New School in New York City, a novelist, and a former freelance journalist for the New York Times. As he soared to success in his career, he began to suffer from various forms of chroni...

Beyond The Pain with David Koeppel | Episode 3

September 01, 2020 05:00 - 37 minutes - 25.8 MB

We all experience aches and pains from time to time, but very few of us know what it's like to have that pain completely take over our lives.  In this episode, we talk to David Koeppel about silently living with chronic pain and its impact on his life. David is the Associate Director of Communications at The New School in New York City, a novelist, and a former freelance journalist for the New York Times. As he soared to success in his career, he began to suffer from various forms of chroni...

Self-Discovery with Michelle Kelley

August 18, 2020 04:00 - 48 minutes - 33.4 MB

In today’s episode, we chat with Michelle Kelley about her upbringing as an adopted Korean American and its salient influence on her personal and professional development. Michelle is a social media community manager as well as a certified health and life coach. In our conversation, Michelle talks about being forced to engage with her ethnic identity in college, reconnecting with her birth parents, and finding for herself what it means to be Korean and Korean-American. Michelle’s life journe...

Self-Discovery with Michelle Kelley | Episode 2

August 18, 2020 04:00 - 48 minutes - 33.4 MB

In today’s episode, we chat with Michelle Kelley about her upbringing as an adopted Korean American and its salient influence on her personal and professional development. Michelle is a social media community manager as well as a certified health and life coach. In our conversation, Michelle talks about being forced to engage with her ethnic identity in college, reconnecting with her birth parents, and finding for herself what it means to be Korean and Korean-American. Michelle’s life journe...

The Perfect Gift with James Crawford

August 18, 2020 03:00 - 44 minutes - 30.9 MB

In our first episode, we dive into the life story of James Crawford and his turning points that include the loss of his grandfather, the only significant male elder in his life, and the bewildering circumstances in which he met his father at the age of 22. Crawford is a young Black educator from Pennsylvania, a high school basketball coach, and, above all, a father of two beautiful children. In our conversation, Crawford opens up about how this loss and trauma molded him into the person and ...

The Perfect Gift with James Crawford | Episode 1

August 18, 2020 03:00 - 44 minutes - 30.9 MB

In our first episode, we dive into the life story of James Crawford and his turning points that include the loss of his grandfather, the only significant male elder in his life, and the bewildering circumstances in which he met his father at the age of 22. Crawford is a young Black educator from Pennsylvania, a high school basketball coach, and, above all, a father of two beautiful children. In our conversation, Crawford opens up about how this loss and trauma molded him into the person and ...

Trailer

August 13, 2020 06:00 - 2 minutes - 2.04 MB

Kume: Turning Point Diaries is a bi-weekly podcast where we explore critical moments in our lives. We discuss intimate lessons and precious stories that often go unheard. Join Yelka Kamara and her fascinating guests as they journey through topics such as identity, health, relationships, purpose, spirituality, loss, and transformation. Be inspired and empowered along the way.