Black Women Amplified Podcast

In this intimate and revealing conversation, Monica Wisdom sits down with Richelle Carey, an award-winning journalist whose career has spanned major newsrooms and global platforms, and who made the bold decision to walk away at the height of it.Known for her work in broadcast journalism, Richelle built a respected career delivering the news to millions. Behind that success was a deeper question about fulfillment, timing, and what it means to live life on your own terms.In this episode, Richelle opens up about the moment everything shifted.She shares what led her to step away from a high-profile career and pursue motherhood later in life, a decision that required clarity, courage, and a willingness to redefine success outside of public validation.This is not a conversation about leaving something behind. It is about choosing yourself fully.We explore the reality of navigating a career that looks successful on paper but requires personal sacrifice, and what it means to listen to your inner voice when it asks for something different.Richelle speaks candidly about identity, timing, and the courage it takes to pivot when the world expects you to stay the course.This conversation is a reflection on life transitions, personal truth, and the quiet power of making decisions that align with who you are becoming.In this episode, we discuss:Building a career in journalism and what it requiresThe decision to leave a high-profile role at the height of successChoosing motherhood and redefining personal timelinesLetting go of external validation and public identityCreating a life that reflects your truthAbout Richelle CareyRichelle Carey is an award-winning journalist and former global news anchor who has worked with major networks, including Al Jazeera English and HLN. Her career has taken her across the world, covering complex global stories while maintaining a commitment to thoughtful, human-centered reporting.Listen and Stay ConnectedVisit: www.blackwomenamplified.com Follow: @blackwomenamplified

In this powerful and deeply layered conversation, Monica Wisdom sits down with the incomparable Tonya Pinkins—Tony Award-winning actress, author, activist, and a woman who has never asked for permission to speak her truth.Known for her commanding presence on stage and screen, Tonya’s journey extends far beyond performance. She has built a life rooted in conviction, creativity, and courage, using her voice not only to entertain but to challenge, disrupt, and uplift.In this episode, we move beyond titles and into the heart of who she is.Tonya reflects on her early life and the foundation that shaped her, sharing what it meant to grow up in environments that required both resilience and imagination. She speaks candidly about navigating the theater industry, the weight of representation, and the discipline it takes to sustain a career on Broadway while remaining true to herself.This is not a surface-level conversation about success. It is a reflection on what it costs to live fully expressed.We also explore the intersections of art and activism. Tonya opens up about using her platform to speak on issues that matter, even when it comes with resistance. Her perspective is clear—visibility without purpose is empty, and real impact requires both voice and action.As a mother and a creative, she shares the ongoing work of balancing family and career, offering an honest look at what it means to show up fully in both spaces. There is no perfection here, only intention.This conversation is a masterclass in owning your story, standing in your truth, and refusing to shrink in rooms that were not built with you in mind.In this episode, we discuss:The journey from early ambition to Broadway excellenceWhat it really takes to sustain a life in the artsThe responsibility of visibility and using your voice with purposeBalancing motherhood, creativity, and personal truthWhy telling your story is both personal and politicalTonya Pinkins reminds us that our voices are not optional. They are necessary.About Tonya PinkinsTonya Pinkins is a Tony Award-winning actress best known for her work on Broadway in productions such as Caroline, or Change, Jelly’s Last Jam, and Merrily We Roll Along. Beyond the stage, she is an author, filmmaker, and outspoken advocate whose work continues to push conversations around equity, identity, and creative freedom.Connect & Continue the ConversationVisit: www.blackwomenamplified.com Follow: @blackwomenamplified

In this episode of Black Women Amplified, we sit down with Jayne Allen, the bestselling author of the acclaimed Black Girls Must trilogy, a series that has captured the hearts of readers around the world. Jayne shares her journey from Harvard-trained attorney to bestselling novelist, turning her brilliance, purpose, and creativity into a powerful storytelling career.You will hear about her collaboration with Malcolm D. Lee, the visionary filmmaker behind The Best Man franchise, and what it was like joining forces to expand one of the most beloved stories in Black culture into a new literary experience. Jayne also opens up about what is next in the Jayne Allen Universe, from new projects to empowering the next generation of authors through her education platform, Book Genius.This conversation is for every Black woman who is ready to own her story, claim her voice, and build a legacy rooted in creativity and courage. In this episode, you will hear:Jayne’s journey from Harvard Law to bestselling authorThe creative collaboration with Malcolm D. Lee on The Best Man book seriesHow she built the Black Girls Must Die Exhausted trilogy into a global phenomenonThe business and purpose behind her storytelling empireInsights into Book Genius and how she helps aspiring authors navigate publishingWhat is next in the Jayne Allen UniverseAbout Jayne Allen:Jayne Allen is the bestselling author of Black Girls Must Die Exhausted, Black Girls Must Be Magic, Black Girls Must Have It All, and The Most Wonderful Time. She is also the co-author of The Best Man book series, inspired by the beloved film and television franchise created by Malcolm D. Lee.A graduate of Duke University and Harvard Law School, Jayne is the founder of Book Genius, where she helps authors master the art and business of publishing. Her work has been featured in The New York Times, Essence, Good Morning America, USA Today, and more.🎧 Listen now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you stream your favorite shows.Visit BlackWomenAmplified.comBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/black-women-amplified--6590667/support.

In this powerful and expansive conversation, Monica Wisdom sits down with Marisha Wallace, a globally recognized performer whose career reflects both discipline and bold vision.From her early beginnings in North Carolina to commanding stages across London’s West End and Broadway, Marisha has built a career that refuses limitation. Her work spans major productions including Dreamgirls, Waitress, Hairspray, Oklahoma!, Guys and Dolls, and her return to Broadway in Cabaret.This conversation moves beyond performance and into what it takes to sustain a life at this level.Marisha shares the realities behind her journey, the resilience required to navigate the industry, and the faith that has anchored her through each transition. She speaks candidly about stepping into global opportunities, building a career across continents, and remaining grounded while operating at the highest level of her craft.We also explore her latest project, Live in London, recorded at the Adelphi Theatre, a body of work that captures both her artistry and her evolution as a performer.At its core, this episode is about expansion. What it looks like to move beyond what is expected and create a career that reflects your full range.In this episode, we discuss:Building a career across Broadway and the West EndNavigating the realities of the theatre industry at a global levelThe discipline and resilience required for longevityReturning to Broadway and continuing to evolve as an artistThe creation of Live in London and what it representsBalancing visibility, faith, and personal groundingKey Takeaways:A global career requires both talent and strategic movementExpansion often comes from stepping into unfamiliar spacesLongevity is built through discipline and consistencyFaith and self-trust can anchor you through uncertaintyYour path can extend far beyond what you initially imaginedAbout Marisha WallaceMarisha Wallace is a Broadway and West End performer known for her dynamic stage presence and powerful vocals. Her work includes leading roles in major productions across the U.S. and U.K., as well as performances on screen in projects such as Disney’s Aladdin and Netflix’s Jingle Jangle. She has received Olivier Award nominations for her work in theatre and continues to build a global career as both a performer and recording artist.Listen and Stay ConnectedVisit: www.blackwomenamplified.com Explore: queen.blackwomenamplified.com

In this thoughtful and necessary episode, Monica Wisdom explores what it means to be in true community and why alignment matters more than history.Many relationships are maintained out of familiarity, obligation, or shared past experiences. Monica invites you to pause and ask a different question. Are the people around you aligned with who you are becoming, or are they reflections of who you once were?This conversation examines the difference between connection and alignment.Through personal reflection and cultural insight, Monica explores how nostalgia can keep you tethered to outdated versions of yourself and how digital culture has reshaped the way we relate to one another. In a time where connection is constant but depth is often missing, this episode calls you back to intentional relationships built on shared direction, not just shared history.At its core, this is about belonging.Not the kind that asks you to shrink or perform, but the kind that supports your growth, reflects your truth, and moves with you as you evolve.This is an invitation to choose community with clarity.In this episode, we discuss:The difference between longevity and alignment in relationshipsHow nostalgia can keep you connected to past versions of yourselfWhy shared direction matters more than shared historyThe impact of digital culture on connection and emotional well-beingRebuilding community with intention and careCreating relationships that support your growth and evolutionKey Takeaways:Not all long-standing relationships are meant to continueAlignment creates a deeper and more sustainable connectionNostalgia can blur your ability to see what no longer fitsThe community should support who you are becomingYou can choose relationships that reflect your truthMentioned in This EpisodeVivek Murthy, Our Epidemic of Loneliness and Isolation (2023)Soft Life Reset – Audio Workshop: A guided experience to help you reconnect with your inner voice and realign your lifeThe Soft Life Blueprint Journal: A structured journal designed to support reflection, clarity, and intentional livingToday’s LifeCode™ ReflectionYou do not have to walk alone. The right community reflects who you are, supports your growth, and moves with you forward.Listen and Stay ConnectedVisit: www.blackwomenamplified.com Follow: @blackwomenamplifiedIf this episode resonates, share it with someone you are growing with or someone you are ready to walk beside.

In this reflective and necessary episode, Monica Wisdom invites you into a different relationship with your emotions. One that moves away from control and toward understanding.For many women, feelings have been treated as something to manage, minimize, or hide. Strength has often been defined by how well you can keep everything contained. In this conversation, Monica challenges that idea directly.Emotion is not a disruption. It is information.This episode explores how emotional suppression becomes a pattern and how that pattern can lead to disconnection, exhaustion, and a loss of clarity. Monica brings the focus back to the body and the internal signals that are often ignored, showing how feeling is not the problem. Avoiding what you feel is.This is a conversation about returning to yourself.Monica reframes vulnerability as awareness and invites you to recognize your emotions as a guide. When you allow yourself to feel fully, you gain access to insight, direction, and a deeper understanding of what you need.This episode is not about becoming more emotional. It is about becoming more honest.In this episode, we discuss:Why emotional suppression becomes a learned patternThe cost of disconnecting from your feelingsEmotion as a source of information and self-awarenessReframing vulnerability as strength and clarityHow feeling supports healing and personal alignmentReturning to your emotional truth with intentionKey Takeaways:Suppressing emotion creates distance from yourselfFeeling is a necessary part of processing and healingEmotional awareness supports better decision-makingVulnerability allows for deeper clarity and connectionYou can build a different relationship with your emotional worldFurther Reading and ReferencesTricia Hersey, Rest Is ResistanceResmaa Menakem, My Grandmother’s HandsListen and Stay ConnectedVisit: www.blackwomenamplified.com Follow: @blackwomenamplifiedIf this episode resonates, share it with someone who may need it and continue the conversation.

In this intimate and deeply revealing conversation, Monica Wisdom sits down with Rhonda Ross, an artist, speaker, and woman who has spent her life navigating both visibility and self-discovery.Known to many as the daughter of Diana Ross and Berry Gordy, Rhonda’s life has always been connected to legacy. In this episode, she shares what it took to step outside of that identity and fully claim her own.This conversation moves beyond what is visible and into what is real.Rhonda opens up about growing up in the public eye and the internal pressure that comes with it. She speaks candidly about her experiences with identity, depression, and the quiet struggle of not feeling like enough, even in the presence of success.There is honesty here that does not try to impress. It is rooted in lived experience.We also explore the emotional and spiritual work required to find balance and clarity. Rhonda reflects on her journey through the music industry, what it revealed about her, and how she found her way back to herself through intention and self-awareness.Today, she uses her voice in a different way. Not just as an artist, but as a guide, offering insight, encouragement, and truth to others who are navigating their own path.This is a conversation about identity, healing, and the discipline of becoming who you are, beyond expectation and perception.In this episode, we discuss:Growing up in the public eye and shaping your own identityNavigating depression, self-worth, and internal pressureThe emotional and spiritual work required for healingMoving through the music industry with intentionUsing your voice to uplift, teach, and connectBecoming yourself beyond legacy and expectationKey Takeaways:Identity is something you define, not inheritVisibility does not eliminate internal struggleHealing requires honesty and consistent inner workYour voice can evolve as you growBecoming yourself is a continuous processAbout Rhonda RossRhonda Ross is an Emmy-nominated actor, Grammy-nominated songwriter, and motivational speaker whose work spans music, film, and personal development. Through her artistry and voice, she continues to explore themes of identity, healing, and transformation.Listen and Stay ConnectedVisit: www.blackwomenamplified.com Follow: @blackwomenamplified

In this opening episode of the LifeCode™ series, Monica Wisdom begins with what most people avoid. Before you can create a softer, more intentional life, you have to understand what shaped your current one.This is a conversation about trauma. Not as a concept, but as a lived experience that influences how you move, how you respond, and what you believe is possible for you.Monica explores how trauma lives in the body, how it quietly shapes your patterns, and how it can show up as overworking, overgiving, or staying in survival mode long after the moment has passed.This is not about revisiting the past for the sake of it. It is about recognizing what was formed so you can begin to shift it.There is a clear reframe at the center of this episode. You are not broken. You have learned patterns that helped you survive. And those patterns can be examined, understood, and changed.This episode is the foundation. A return to awareness, where healing begins with understanding.In this episode, we discuss:What trauma actually is and how it shows up in everyday lifeHow trauma lives in the body and shapes your responsesThe difference between survival patterns and intentional livingWhy high-functioning can still be a trauma responseThe connection between nervous system regulation and healingReclaiming peace, rest, and a different way of livingKey Takeaways:Trauma is not only what happened. It is how your body and mind adaptPatterns formed in survival can continue long after the threat is goneHigh-functioning does not mean well-regulatedHealing begins with awareness, not avoidanceWhat was lost can be restored with intention and careYou are not broken. You are becomingFurther Reading and ReferencesGabor Maté, The Myth of NormalJoy DeGruy, Post-Traumatic Slave SyndromeStephen Porges, The Polyvagal TheoryListen and Stay ConnectedVisit: www.blackwomenamplified.com Follow: @blackwomenamplified