GOOD (YVES)NING

Afro-Latinos do not get a lot of mention in American culture unless you are in specific sectors of the country. Patty Lora joined me in this episode as we discussed her family's immigrant story from the Dominican Republic. Patty and I had a chat about colorism, embracing African roots as a Dominican, the importance of education, and being a woman in sports!

This episode with Temitope Akande was LOADED! Tope came from some of the worst parts of Lagos and every single step of his journey to America was a struggle. We spoke about him being an American college student at 16 years old, getting into one of the best schools in the country, the tensions between natural born Africans and African-Americans feeling "stuck" as an immigrant, running for office in the future, and a whole lot more!

In one of my favorite episodes that revolved around identy, Zenab touches on being a "third culture kid," pressures of appearances in African households, struggling with identity, code-switching, and the work that was done to embrace all of who she is.

Reese is an immigrant from Jamaica who lived in just about every part of Miami and has a vast experience with a wide range of people. In this episode, he talks about how his Jamaican roots are tied to his journey of becoming an Entrepreneurship. As an owner of multiple businesses, Reese's faith in God has played a significant role in how he conducts business.

Collin is the only person I know and have ever met from Antigua and Barbuda, but everyone who knows Collin definitely knows about the island. In this episode, he shares his story about going from the island to living in New York, earning his Ph.D from an Ivy league institution, and how he became a tourism ambassador and one of the OG's of the black travel movement.

President of House of Athlete, Esé Ighedosa, joins Yves on the podcast to share stories of growing up in a household that prioritized African/Nigerian knowledge while living in the United States. She discusses upbringing, career shifts, workplace identity, and a whole lot more!

Daramola is a Miami-based Nigerian-born Dove award-winning music producer & singer/songwriter. He joined the podcast to talk about being an "Immigrant American" with life experiences in Nigeria as well as the United Kingdom. Topics in this episode include native names, musical influence, jollof rice, marriage, family upbringing, unlearning and relearning gender roles, and much more!

Did you know that there is a huge difference between self-development and peak performance? Behavior and mindset modification changes lifestyle and has a 500% increase in productivity, where self-development increases your ability to be productive by 5%. Tina Bonner (@tinabonnerlive on IG) is a peak performance coach that teaches people how to master their potential. She shared some strategies on this episode about staying focused, the importance of environment, time management hacks, and more!

Dating in 2021 is a lot different than dating any other year in history. Just like dating in your 30's is way different than dating in your teens. Yves and Keith (@keiththornton17 on IG) discuss all things dating from a man's perspective.

Identity foreclosure is something a lot of athletes have to come to face with at some point. Desmond (@D_Ro26) joins the podcast to discuss his football journey, losing his mother to cancer, falling into drug addiction, and finding restoration during a global pandemic.

The mind is a weapon! Clay Frost (@clay.frost) helps elite athletes level up to make their minds their greatest weapon so they can be at their best every time they perform. In this episode, we chat about how anyone can train their mind.

Elliott Jeffcoat (@elliottgullah) is back to continue the conversation on global traveling. This time he tells stories about his experiences in Europe as a black man, American privilege, and international exposure.

Going from the deep country south to a college town can be pretty shocking. The one and only Elliott Jeffcoat (@elliottgullah on IG) tells hilarious stories about Gullah Geechee culture in the U.S., his experience with race, learning different languages, and the different sides of American culture.

In the second part of our conversation, Crystal Foster (@iamcrysfoster) really talks about the strength that is found in her faith, especially as it pertains to raising a son as a single mother.

Martinez Anderson (_theunapologeticone) and I talk about embracing your blackness as a Christian and in society. We also touch on his book, Too Black for the Building, as it depicts the experience of black male students in a white school system. 

Donte and I just recently completed the 75 Hard transformative mental toughness program, created by Andy Frisella. 75 straight days of sticking to a diet, doing two 45-minute workouts (one outdoors), drinking one gallon of water, reading ten pages of a non-fiction book, and taking a progress pic. It was tough, but we made it! Here is our experience with it.

#RealAF

#75Hard

#MFCEOProject

#PersonalDevelopment

Thank you for all of the love and support in season 1 of the Good (Yves)ning podcast. Can't wait to keep growing in season 2! This season, we have interviews. We're talking sports, race, culture, church, dream chasing, finances, and so much more. Catch a vibe.

Is there room for nuance in politics? Whether you support Donald Trump & Mike Pence, or Joe Biden and Kamala Harris, be careful during an election year and try your best to take a bipartisan approach rather than driving your identity with a party. Take advantage of your freedom to democracy.

Is Christianity only for a certain race of people? Have black people been tricked or manipulated to believe in Jesus Christ as their lord and savior? Yves talks about that here with some historical research and context.

Sports are a microcosm of life. Great coaches are the ones that make it make sense. In this episode, I talk about some of the lessons I learned from my high school coaches (Coach Kevin Atkinson and Coach Byron Bundy), my college coach (coach Mike Gundy) at Oklahoma State University, and a couple of NFL coaches I was around at the Miami Dolphins (Adam Gase and Brian Flores).

Support women in sports. Support women in all industries. The Washington Post article about the 15 sexual harassment accusations within one NFL football team led to this podcast episode. As men, we have to dismantle the good ole boys club.

We are all more similar than we are different. When we can open up and talk about our scars, it leads to a strength in unity. Brene Brown's book, Daring Greatly, does a tremendous job outlining the power of vulnerability.

My wife, Dawn, and I encountered a huge transition during the COVID-19 pandemic. I lost my job and then she became unemployed. By faith, and with grace, we powered through and are looking at the world differently. Our experience has allowed 2020 to be one of the most important years of our lives.