Journey of Becoming

About this episode

Leandra shares her journey of self-discovery and the challenges of hustle culture, emphasizing the importance of community and mental health.

In this Scars to Stars episode, Leandra shares the real behind-the-scenes journey of becoming who you are —not just what you do. Born and raised in Los Angeles, she followed the “get the degree and the job will come” promise… and instead found burnout, long commutes, imposter syndrome, and the quiet pressure of trying to keep up. From public health and nonprofit work to serving pregnant and postpartum moms in the Black Infant Health Program, Leandra’s heart for community has always been clear—but so was the cost of hustle culture on her mind and body. When COVID hit (and family loss hit even harder), she began asking deeper questions about identity, purpose, and what really matters. Leandra opens up about taking a terrifying leap into entrepreneurship, the grief and financial strain that followed, and the hard-but-holy work of untangling worth from titles and paychecks. She also shares what she learned as a domestic violence advocate—reminding listeners: it’s not your fault, and you deserve a safe plan and support. This episode is for anyone rebuilding, pivoting, grieving, or realizing they can’t “push through” anymore—you need your people, your peace, and a path forward…

People in this episode

Host: Deana Brown Mitchell

Guest: Leandra

Topics covered

• identity
• entrepreneurship
• mental health
• community support
• grief
• hustle culture

Keywords

• burnout
• imposter syndrome
• entrepreneurship
• mental health awareness
• community care
• identity
• grief

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Black Infant Health Program

Places: Los Angeles

More episodes of Scars to Stars™ Podcast

• Hush, Child, Hush: Finding Your Voice After Trauma, Abuse & Silence · June 10, 2026 · 32 min
• The Quiet Rebuilding of Myself · June 3, 2026 · 32 min
• The Battle to Win - Author in Scars to Stars Vol. 5 · May 27, 2026 · 22 min
• Triumph over Tragedy · February 18, 2026 · 32 min
• Ground, Release, Awaken · February 11, 2026 · 32 min
• Broken Medical System · February 4, 2026 · 38 min