SpeakUP! International Inc.
SpeakUP! International Inc. is your go-to podcast for inspiring stories, insightful interviews, and educational content that empowers listeners. Join us as we delve into diverse topics with a focus on uplifting black and brown voices, promoting creativity, and fostering personal and professional growth.
Episodes
178 episodes
Try To Give Away 20 Million Dollars! It's Harder Than You Think!!!
A lawyer walks out of a plush Beverly Hills office and into a government agency tasked with everything between war and diplomacy. That pivot sets up a gripping journey through foreign aid’s hidden front lines: a month in Eritrea tryi...
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1:03:44
Dr Monique Nugent: Prescription For Admission-A Doctor's Guide to Navigating the Hospital
A hospital can be the place that saves your life and the place that makes you feel the least in control. We sit down with Dr. Monique Nugent, a hospitalist and author of *Prescription For Admission*, to name the exact moments when patients and ...
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34:12
How Faith, Ubuntu, And Trauma Care Restore Lives
A voice shaped by war, refined by faith, and honed in clinical trenches—Noah Mugenyi joins Rita and I to explore what it really takes to move from surviving to restoring. Noah reads from his book, Restored: A Journ...
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49:31
Cali Braithwaite-Walton: How A Steam Fitter Built A Real Estate Career And A Community Legacy
The conversation charts a striking path from industrial night shifts to entrepreneurial daylight. Cali Braithwaite-Walton describes how a two-weeks-on, two-weeks-off life in Alberta’s oil sands funded a parallel plan:...
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50:58
Why Preserving Black Canadian History Changes How We See Ourselves
What if the names that shaped your city never made it into your textbooks? We sit with author and former social worker Christine Smith Gonsalves to uncover the lives of Black Canadian women whose stories deserve centre stage—and...
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1:02:51
Breaking Cycles, Building Futures with Dr. Onaysia Martinez
What if the life you worked so hard to build quietly became a cage? We sit down with Dr. Onaysia Martinez —first in her family to earn a doctorate, the only Latina in her graduating class—to unpack how “success without fulfilmen...
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50:09
Eugene Manley: How To Advocate For Yourself In A Broken Health System
What happens when a cancer scientist brings lab precision to the chaos of real‑world care? We sit down with Dr. Eugene Manley to unpack how health equity moves from buzzword to measurable change—through intentional design, diver...
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1:00:47
He Ditched Pants, Wears A Kilt, And Accidentally Started A Movement
A pair of Pinksocks, a kilt, and a simple greeting turned into a global cue for human connection. We sit down with Nick Adkins—author of Pinksocks: How a Pair of Socks Became a Symbol of Love and Connection—to explore how ...
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49:27
Chenai Kadungure: You Won't Believe What Happened Next!
A liberation story can start by a fire in Harare and carry into hospital hallways in Ontario. We sit down with a Pan-African equity champion, Chenai Kadungure, who leads the Black Physicians Association of Ontario to unpack what...
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45:53
Marcus Braxton On Writing, Chess, And Clearing His Name
Rita and I sit down with author and chess teacher Marcus Braxton to hear how a wrongful charge led to a five-star urban novel, a growing sports podcast, and a mission to teach strategy and ownership to DC youth. Writing, chess, and entre...
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56:06
Chandler, Bullying, And A Better Way
We sit down with counsellor, writer, and former teacher Kim Fraser to explore how Chandler turns lived pain into a practical anti-bullying model for kids and families. From festival wins to global pitching, we unpack de-escalati...
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38:32
Zafra Lerman: What If a Science Class Could Stop A War?
A chemist slips into dark alleys after midnight (Dr. Zafra Lerman), climbs to an attic, and teaches a seminar that could cost her freedom. By morning, she is back on the university circuit, lecturing in plain sight. That contras...
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52:05
Jebeh Edmunds: What Does Psychological Safety Feel Like When You Finally Belong?
A single line from The Orange Blossom sets the tone: history isn’t distant—it breathes through our workplaces, classrooms, and homes. From that vivid reading, we sit down with educator, author, and cultural competency expert Jebeh...
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59:14
Dauna Jones-Simmonds: She Doesn’t Drink Coffee, She Brews Change
We sit with Donna Jones- Simmons —the co‑founder and architect of 100 Accomplished Black Canadian Women—to trace how a simple idea became a movement that documents excellence, accelerates careers, and reframes what leadership lo...
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50:39
Janet Taylor: Neat Freaks Don’t Always Win—Function Does
What if organization wasn’t about spotless rooms, but about a life that works when it counts? We sit with Janet Taylor—organiser, corporate trainer, and host of “Got Clutter? Get Organized”—to unpack how a layoff became a...
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50:26
A brain aneurysm didn’t end Tess Padmore's life; it unlocked an inventor who’s redefining inclusive design and water safety
A simple swim cap shouldn’t decide who gets into the water. That’s where our guest, inventor and author Tess Padmore, begins—transforming a personal challenge after a brain aneurysm into a patented headwear line designed for tex...
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1:00:06
From Harm to Healing with Leah Brown: Restorative Justice, Institutional Accountability, and Leading Through Chaos
What if the real fix for broken systems isn’t a better press release, but a better way to heal? We sit down with mediator and lawyer Leah Brown—founder and CEO of the Wayfinders Group—to unpack how leaders can move from fire-fig...
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43:25
'Tine Zekis: When Black Women Win, Everyone Wins
Ever been praised in public and panicked in private? That tension sits at the heart of our conversation with author, engineer, and international speaker 'Tine Zekis—who boldly reframes “imposter syndrome” as the byproduct of imposter systems. W...
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39:14
Leadership with a Servant's Heart: Building Dynamic Teams through Compassion
Kevin Wayne Johnson transforms our understanding of leadership through his powerful personal journey that began at just three and a half years old. Growing up caring for his younger brother with a mental disability while his Mar...
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44:37
Brenda Max Cumby-Fashioning a Path: From Red Tonka Trucks to Workwear Revolution
What happens when a fashion model becomes a union carpenter? She discovers there are no work clothes designed for women's bodies and decides to revolutionize the industry. Meet Brenda Max Cumby, founder of Gott Street B...
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55:59
Fanny Tristan: Who told you something was wrong with being single?
What if being single isn't something to fix, but a powerful season for growth and self-discovery? Trauma therapist and empowerment coach Fanny Tristan joins us to challenge everything you thought you knew about singlehood for wo...
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35:37
From Latchkey Kid to Community Builder: Ryan Downey's Journey
Ryan Downey, Executive Director of East Atlanta Kids Club, whose journey from latchkey kid to community leader is rooted in resilience, purpose, and a belief in opportunity for all. Growing up in the south suburbs of Atlanta, Ryan often ...
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47:41
Mirror Books and Adolescent Literacy: A Conversation with Dr. Valcine Brown
What happens when adolescents lose their passion for reading, and how do we bring it back? Dr. Valcine Brown, a veteran educator who recently completed her PhD in education, is tackling this challenge head-on with innovative res...
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52:24
The Chandler Method: Kem Frasier's Revolutionary Approach to Anti-Bullying
What would happen if we responded to bullies with kindness instead of confrontation? Kim Fraser's groundbreaking approach turns traditional anti-bullying strategies upside down, with remarkable results!Growing up in the ...
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48:00
From Spoken Word to Community Leadership: Paulina O’Kieffe-Anthony's Journey
What does it truly mean to "do the work" in the arts world? Paulina O’Kieffe-Anthony answers this question through her remarkable journey from shaking like a leaf during her first spoken word performance to becoming an awa...
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54:40
