1 00:00:04,800 --> 00:00:08,160 Speaker 1: Hey, Hey, via fam, Welcome back to the show. I'm 2 00:00:08,200 --> 00:00:11,680 Speaker 1: taking you from Harlem to Hollywood today, y'all with today's guest, 3 00:00:12,320 --> 00:00:16,360 Speaker 1: the beautiful and brilliant, talented Edwina Finley, is on the show. 4 00:00:16,720 --> 00:00:20,799 Speaker 1: You may recognize her from so many incredible iconic shows 5 00:00:20,840 --> 00:00:25,720 Speaker 1: from The Wire to Netflix's The Residence. All Hail Shonda Rhimes, 6 00:00:25,760 --> 00:00:29,560 Speaker 1: Uzu Aduba and Edwin Finley. She is a powerhouse performer, 7 00:00:29,840 --> 00:00:32,599 Speaker 1: but even more than that, she is a loving wife, 8 00:00:32,680 --> 00:00:36,680 Speaker 1: a mother, and now the published author of one of 9 00:00:36,720 --> 00:00:39,320 Speaker 1: those little inspirational books that is going to make the 10 00:00:39,320 --> 00:00:42,080 Speaker 1: best like holiday gift, birthday gift. Just someone who you 11 00:00:42,120 --> 00:00:45,400 Speaker 1: need to you know, someone who needs a little lifting up. 12 00:00:45,440 --> 00:00:47,239 Speaker 1: I think you just slipped this book in there in 13 00:00:47,320 --> 00:00:50,640 Speaker 1: their pocketbook, and that's, you know, the perfect gift. The 14 00:00:50,640 --> 00:00:53,720 Speaker 1: book is called The World is Waiting for You. Embrace 15 00:00:53,760 --> 00:00:56,960 Speaker 1: your calling and manifest the God dream over your life. 16 00:00:57,560 --> 00:01:00,760 Speaker 1: And I was just saying a little bit back vertu stage, 17 00:01:01,080 --> 00:01:04,200 Speaker 1: how I genuinely think this is a book that the 18 00:01:04,280 --> 00:01:05,400 Speaker 1: girls need today. 19 00:01:05,760 --> 00:01:06,600 Speaker 2: We need a. 20 00:01:06,560 --> 00:01:09,000 Speaker 1: Little take us back to church, honey, take us back 21 00:01:10,240 --> 00:01:13,600 Speaker 1: old fashion. I'm like, get your three ninety nine journals 22 00:01:13,600 --> 00:01:17,280 Speaker 1: from the Marshall's recks out, get your poster board and 23 00:01:17,319 --> 00:01:20,960 Speaker 1: your vision boards out, because we need to just reset 24 00:01:21,280 --> 00:01:25,760 Speaker 1: and feel inspired. So today Aduena's here so generously to 25 00:01:25,800 --> 00:01:27,760 Speaker 1: talk about her new book again. It's called The World 26 00:01:27,840 --> 00:01:31,000 Speaker 1: Is Waiting for You. It's a faithful guide with a 27 00:01:31,040 --> 00:01:33,160 Speaker 1: forward by Viola was it? 28 00:01:33,200 --> 00:01:36,240 Speaker 2: How do you pronounce this again? Is it? Viola Davis? 29 00:01:39,640 --> 00:01:44,440 Speaker 1: Up and coming up and comer. One of the joys 30 00:01:44,440 --> 00:01:47,160 Speaker 1: of reading the book is getting to peel the curtain 31 00:01:47,160 --> 00:01:49,160 Speaker 1: back a little bit and just like understand how your 32 00:01:49,200 --> 00:01:52,600 Speaker 1: relationship with Viola, you know, blossomed over the years. And 33 00:01:53,080 --> 00:01:55,000 Speaker 1: I just A'm so grateful to have you here. A Duena, 34 00:01:55,120 --> 00:01:56,280 Speaker 1: Welcome to Brown Ambition. 35 00:01:56,760 --> 00:01:57,960 Speaker 2: Thank you so much. 36 00:01:58,040 --> 00:01:59,279 Speaker 3: I'm excited to be here. 37 00:02:00,280 --> 00:02:03,880 Speaker 1: Oh lordie, So tell me a little bit about yourself. So, 38 00:02:03,960 --> 00:02:06,440 Speaker 1: I mean, obviously for those who don't know much about 39 00:02:06,440 --> 00:02:08,280 Speaker 1: your personal story, you can get a bit of that 40 00:02:08,400 --> 00:02:08,960 Speaker 1: in the book. 41 00:02:09,880 --> 00:02:11,320 Speaker 2: But where did you grow up? What was it? 42 00:02:11,360 --> 00:02:12,680 Speaker 1: Do we not as a little girl, like. 43 00:02:13,240 --> 00:02:17,680 Speaker 3: Yeah, I grew up in Washington, d C. Funny enough though, 44 00:02:18,480 --> 00:02:22,440 Speaker 3: prior to that, my parents were in Liberia, West Africa. 45 00:02:22,600 --> 00:02:27,440 Speaker 3: So so I'm literally African American Liberian American There was 46 00:02:27,480 --> 00:02:30,280 Speaker 3: a big coup that broke out in Liberia when when 47 00:02:30,320 --> 00:02:35,560 Speaker 3: my parents were there, and so my mother fled the 48 00:02:35,600 --> 00:02:38,160 Speaker 3: country and that's how I ended up being born in DC. 49 00:02:39,320 --> 00:02:42,519 Speaker 3: And it's kind of funny now doing the Residents. It's 50 00:02:42,520 --> 00:02:45,600 Speaker 3: set in the White House, and so much of that 51 00:02:45,639 --> 00:02:48,920 Speaker 3: has been a full circle manifestation. My grandmother worked in 52 00:02:48,919 --> 00:02:52,480 Speaker 3: the White House, and you know, growing up it was interesting. 53 00:02:52,520 --> 00:02:57,040 Speaker 3: I felt like it was in some ways it toggled 54 00:02:57,080 --> 00:03:00,960 Speaker 3: between two worlds. And I think you're listeners will understand, 55 00:03:01,080 --> 00:03:04,799 Speaker 3: especially since you are rooted in finance and that kind 56 00:03:04,840 --> 00:03:08,079 Speaker 3: of thing. Right, It's like, on one hand there was 57 00:03:08,120 --> 00:03:18,200 Speaker 3: a very wealthy, very kind of cultured environment or part 58 00:03:18,200 --> 00:03:20,639 Speaker 3: of the family or you know, part of growing up. 59 00:03:21,000 --> 00:03:26,560 Speaker 3: Then it was also an extremely urban you know aspect too. 60 00:03:26,720 --> 00:03:29,720 Speaker 3: You know, I remember growing up and hearing gunshots and 61 00:03:30,280 --> 00:03:34,200 Speaker 3: you know, seeing crack vials right like in Washington as well, 62 00:03:34,280 --> 00:03:36,880 Speaker 3: and so and even the city kind of breeds that 63 00:03:36,920 --> 00:03:40,000 Speaker 3: sort of dichotomy also, right, Like there's the monuments and 64 00:03:40,360 --> 00:03:43,440 Speaker 3: you know, everything's so pristine, but then you come outside 65 00:03:43,440 --> 00:03:46,000 Speaker 3: of that two mile radius and it's like you could 66 00:03:46,000 --> 00:03:49,280 Speaker 3: be right in a hood and so, you know, I 67 00:03:49,320 --> 00:03:52,800 Speaker 3: think that I sort of lived between both worlds growing up. 68 00:03:54,000 --> 00:03:56,800 Speaker 3: I did come from a family though, that was very, 69 00:03:58,920 --> 00:04:03,760 Speaker 3: very very much focused on education, very focused on achievement, 70 00:04:05,480 --> 00:04:08,240 Speaker 3: you know, but also focused on God, right, and also 71 00:04:08,280 --> 00:04:10,760 Speaker 3: focused on purpose. And so I think a lot of 72 00:04:10,800 --> 00:04:15,520 Speaker 3: my journey has been about bringing those two aspects together. 73 00:04:16,960 --> 00:04:17,200 Speaker 2: Yeah. 74 00:04:17,279 --> 00:04:20,039 Speaker 1: I mean, you write about being very precocious and always 75 00:04:20,080 --> 00:04:23,760 Speaker 1: wanted to sing and dance and perform, and I mean 76 00:04:23,920 --> 00:04:26,240 Speaker 1: I get the sense that your mother was very supportive, 77 00:04:26,320 --> 00:04:29,120 Speaker 1: but not always. Other people in your family are people 78 00:04:29,160 --> 00:04:31,320 Speaker 1: that you would encounter as a kid like being so 79 00:04:31,440 --> 00:04:34,200 Speaker 1: bright and vivacious, they would try to kind of dim 80 00:04:34,240 --> 00:04:35,000 Speaker 1: your shine. 81 00:04:35,960 --> 00:04:36,919 Speaker 3: Yeah. 82 00:04:37,400 --> 00:04:39,160 Speaker 1: Yeah, talk a little bit about that, I think a lot. 83 00:04:39,279 --> 00:04:42,880 Speaker 3: Yeah, Yeah, I mean I grew up as an arts kid, right, 84 00:04:43,120 --> 00:04:47,479 Speaker 3: So my earliest memory was at five years old just 85 00:04:48,200 --> 00:04:51,800 Speaker 3: doing musicals and dancing and singing, and my mother was 86 00:04:52,080 --> 00:04:55,120 Speaker 3: very supportive of that, putting me in every type of 87 00:04:55,279 --> 00:04:58,880 Speaker 3: art class you can imagine, from creative writing to dance 88 00:04:58,960 --> 00:05:02,680 Speaker 3: to all manner of styles of dance, to choral singing 89 00:05:02,800 --> 00:05:06,159 Speaker 3: to private vocal lessons to you know, you just you 90 00:05:06,240 --> 00:05:12,200 Speaker 3: name it, drama. And so there was there was really 91 00:05:12,279 --> 00:05:16,680 Speaker 3: you know, my my Uh, my grandfather had encountered Leontine 92 00:05:16,839 --> 00:05:19,760 Speaker 3: Price and Paul Robeson and all those people, you know, 93 00:05:20,000 --> 00:05:21,839 Speaker 3: very early on. And so I think there was a 94 00:05:21,880 --> 00:05:26,479 Speaker 3: certain type of revere for great artists Leontine Price, you know. 95 00:05:28,160 --> 00:05:29,880 Speaker 3: And then there were other parts of my family that 96 00:05:29,960 --> 00:05:37,159 Speaker 3: were just very scientific and very calculated and you know, 97 00:05:37,600 --> 00:05:40,800 Speaker 3: kind of emphatic about you need to be a lawyer 98 00:05:41,040 --> 00:05:45,600 Speaker 3: or a doctor or kind of do something secure with 99 00:05:45,640 --> 00:05:50,960 Speaker 3: your life. And yeah, right, so so yeah, I did 100 00:05:51,040 --> 00:05:54,480 Speaker 3: feel like this kid kind of swinging from the chandeliers 101 00:05:54,520 --> 00:05:58,680 Speaker 3: as far as you know, artistry, but then also kind 102 00:05:58,720 --> 00:06:01,120 Speaker 3: of being told to like sit down and shut up 103 00:06:01,160 --> 00:06:03,919 Speaker 3: and it doesn't take that much. So I had to 104 00:06:04,000 --> 00:06:05,240 Speaker 3: navigate that too. 105 00:06:05,880 --> 00:06:06,080 Speaker 2: Right. 106 00:06:07,160 --> 00:06:08,919 Speaker 3: One of the things like, now that I'm a mom, 107 00:06:09,440 --> 00:06:12,839 Speaker 3: I just kind of encourage parents now, like listen for 108 00:06:13,000 --> 00:06:15,760 Speaker 3: the gifts that are in your children. Discern what the 109 00:06:15,800 --> 00:06:20,360 Speaker 3: gifts are. Sometimes we want to put so many restrictions 110 00:06:20,440 --> 00:06:23,520 Speaker 3: on them as far as what decorum looks like and 111 00:06:24,200 --> 00:06:26,640 Speaker 3: how they should be and oh, you're too bossy or 112 00:06:26,680 --> 00:06:29,960 Speaker 3: you're too loud, or you're too you know, unfocused or 113 00:06:30,000 --> 00:06:34,240 Speaker 3: whatever it is. But sometimes your children are manifesting gifts 114 00:06:34,440 --> 00:06:38,320 Speaker 3: that if you give them a little time, you'll realize that, oh, 115 00:06:38,480 --> 00:06:41,960 Speaker 3: this actually is meant to bless a lot of people, 116 00:06:42,600 --> 00:06:44,800 Speaker 3: including them. 117 00:06:45,200 --> 00:06:47,039 Speaker 2: You have two girls, right I do? 118 00:06:47,240 --> 00:06:50,599 Speaker 3: Yeah Victoria in London? Six and four now well six 119 00:06:50,680 --> 00:06:51,600 Speaker 3: and eight now yeah? 120 00:06:52,200 --> 00:06:52,880 Speaker 2: What okay? 121 00:06:52,920 --> 00:06:54,760 Speaker 1: I have a five he's almost six. I have an 122 00:06:54,800 --> 00:06:59,520 Speaker 1: almost six year old at two boys? Oh real, yeah 123 00:07:00,120 --> 00:07:01,800 Speaker 1: year olds. He'll be six in November, and then I 124 00:07:01,839 --> 00:07:06,599 Speaker 1: have a two year old. It's wild. I need to 125 00:07:06,600 --> 00:07:08,720 Speaker 1: have my two year old studied. Sometimes I'm like, how 126 00:07:08,839 --> 00:07:11,200 Speaker 1: is he? He's so I'm like, is he going to 127 00:07:11,200 --> 00:07:14,600 Speaker 1: be an actor or something? He's he loves performing, he 128 00:07:14,640 --> 00:07:16,640 Speaker 1: loves showing the different emotions. 129 00:07:17,400 --> 00:07:18,800 Speaker 2: I'm not going to do them. I'm not gonna be 130 00:07:18,800 --> 00:07:19,440 Speaker 2: that mom right now. 131 00:07:21,000 --> 00:07:23,080 Speaker 1: One I feel like I'm getting to watch a one 132 00:07:23,120 --> 00:07:27,240 Speaker 1: act play, like a one man play, one polity play. 133 00:07:27,800 --> 00:07:28,720 Speaker 2: And I was like, oh, what are we? 134 00:07:28,760 --> 00:07:31,400 Speaker 1: What are we giving tonight? Are we giving like you know, 135 00:07:31,480 --> 00:07:34,880 Speaker 1: drama Shakespeare? Are we giving like Kevin Hart comedy? 136 00:07:34,960 --> 00:07:35,440 Speaker 3: You know you never? 137 00:07:35,640 --> 00:07:35,800 Speaker 2: Right? 138 00:07:36,520 --> 00:07:39,920 Speaker 3: Isn't that fantastic? I mean that, you know, I speak 139 00:07:39,960 --> 00:07:41,880 Speaker 3: so much about that in the book, right, like how 140 00:07:41,920 --> 00:07:46,080 Speaker 3: we're born with our superpower, We're born with our gifts, 141 00:07:46,080 --> 00:07:49,600 Speaker 3: and a lot of life is about unwrapping this gift 142 00:07:49,680 --> 00:07:53,040 Speaker 3: that we've been given so that so that we even 143 00:07:53,120 --> 00:07:58,080 Speaker 3: recognize the depth to which we've been gifted, right in 144 00:07:58,120 --> 00:08:00,200 Speaker 3: all the many ways that we can use that to 145 00:08:00,560 --> 00:08:03,400 Speaker 3: bless the world as well as to game prosperity. 146 00:08:04,640 --> 00:08:06,480 Speaker 1: Yeah, well, I'm sure they're really lucky to have you 147 00:08:06,520 --> 00:08:10,080 Speaker 1: as a mom, because, like curiously, you were born to 148 00:08:10,360 --> 00:08:13,000 Speaker 1: a strong woman and a curious woman. I love the 149 00:08:13,040 --> 00:08:16,239 Speaker 1: little nuggets you shared about your mom's fascination with Black 150 00:08:16,320 --> 00:08:19,600 Speaker 1: history and how she would take y'all on like what 151 00:08:19,680 --> 00:08:20,920 Speaker 1: field trips around the South? 152 00:08:21,320 --> 00:08:24,840 Speaker 3: You know, oh field trips. I mean those were you know, 153 00:08:24,960 --> 00:08:27,320 Speaker 3: we were traveling. She would take me. I was an 154 00:08:27,320 --> 00:08:30,720 Speaker 3: only child, so she would take me to South Carolina, 155 00:08:30,920 --> 00:08:34,680 Speaker 3: North Carolina. We went to plantations that owned us, you know, 156 00:08:34,760 --> 00:08:37,720 Speaker 3: owned our family. We found bills of sail, you know, 157 00:08:37,760 --> 00:08:39,840 Speaker 3: I talk about that in the book, too Built, you know, 158 00:08:39,960 --> 00:08:43,120 Speaker 3: finding bills of sale for our family and these different things, 159 00:08:43,679 --> 00:08:47,280 Speaker 3: you know. And yeah, she was very, very passionate about 160 00:08:47,920 --> 00:08:52,360 Speaker 3: genealogy and Black history, and many of my family members 161 00:08:52,679 --> 00:08:55,599 Speaker 3: have been Yeah, that's beautiful. 162 00:08:56,080 --> 00:08:58,319 Speaker 1: Well, I want to get into the season of your 163 00:08:58,360 --> 00:09:00,640 Speaker 1: life that you call the you call it a couple 164 00:09:00,640 --> 00:09:02,920 Speaker 1: of different things, the three year season of waiting, and 165 00:09:02,960 --> 00:09:05,600 Speaker 1: then I also saw you said the three year season 166 00:09:05,600 --> 00:09:09,320 Speaker 1: of surrender, and we got to go there because I 167 00:09:09,320 --> 00:09:11,839 Speaker 1: feel like so many of us, especially BA FAM right now, 168 00:09:11,880 --> 00:09:15,280 Speaker 1: I mean, our audience is something like ninety percent women, 169 00:09:15,480 --> 00:09:19,240 Speaker 1: and of those like eighty percent Black women and fifteen 170 00:09:19,240 --> 00:09:22,560 Speaker 1: percent Hispanic women. And you know, I'm so grateful to 171 00:09:22,600 --> 00:09:25,480 Speaker 1: have this audience and to really get to speak to 172 00:09:25,720 --> 00:09:29,280 Speaker 1: who I call BA Fam. But this economy, the world 173 00:09:29,440 --> 00:09:32,000 Speaker 1: right now, I mean we know the stats. I don't 174 00:09:32,040 --> 00:09:35,160 Speaker 1: like to dwell, you know, on the odds that we 175 00:09:35,280 --> 00:09:38,200 Speaker 1: have of succeeding and all of that, but it does 176 00:09:38,320 --> 00:09:42,240 Speaker 1: feel harder than it has. I mean, it's very, very 177 00:09:42,280 --> 00:09:45,320 Speaker 1: hard to keep the faith and to keep focused on 178 00:09:45,360 --> 00:09:48,200 Speaker 1: the bigger goal. So I wonder if you could talk 179 00:09:48,240 --> 00:09:50,040 Speaker 1: a little bit about what it was like for you 180 00:09:50,160 --> 00:09:52,959 Speaker 1: during those well, first, describe those few years you had 181 00:09:53,000 --> 00:09:55,560 Speaker 1: instead of waiting and slash surrender and that struggle. 182 00:09:56,640 --> 00:09:59,160 Speaker 2: Where did you find hope during that time? 183 00:09:59,679 --> 00:10:04,640 Speaker 3: Yeah, and thank you for asking and also acknowledging that 184 00:10:04,800 --> 00:10:07,360 Speaker 3: it is hard out here right now, you know, in 185 00:10:07,440 --> 00:10:10,959 Speaker 3: our economy and then our government and there's so many 186 00:10:11,040 --> 00:10:14,000 Speaker 3: things happening, right, it feels like there's a lot of 187 00:10:14,120 --> 00:10:19,280 Speaker 3: obstacles to buffet our path. Right. And so for me, 188 00:10:20,520 --> 00:10:23,240 Speaker 3: you know, kind of coming out of coming out of college, 189 00:10:24,000 --> 00:10:28,600 Speaker 3: you know, it was a time of real inspiration. And 190 00:10:28,640 --> 00:10:31,200 Speaker 3: that's when I created my vision book. You know, some 191 00:10:31,240 --> 00:10:33,800 Speaker 3: people have a vision board. I told Oprah, I have 192 00:10:33,880 --> 00:10:37,120 Speaker 3: a vision book, right, and I had just I filled 193 00:10:37,120 --> 00:10:41,400 Speaker 3: that book up on every page, marriage, motherhood, career, you know, 194 00:10:41,640 --> 00:10:45,520 Speaker 3: just went down affirmations, finance, you know, just went down 195 00:10:45,559 --> 00:10:47,320 Speaker 3: the list of what do I want my life to 196 00:10:47,360 --> 00:10:49,719 Speaker 3: look like? And then I created a goals book to 197 00:10:49,800 --> 00:10:51,920 Speaker 3: go along with the vision book. You know, some of 198 00:10:51,960 --> 00:10:54,640 Speaker 3: these things I even help people create in the world, 199 00:10:54,760 --> 00:10:56,920 Speaker 3: is waiting for you your own vision book, your own 200 00:10:56,960 --> 00:10:57,720 Speaker 3: goals book. 201 00:10:58,000 --> 00:10:58,160 Speaker 2: Right. 202 00:10:58,200 --> 00:11:00,400 Speaker 3: But then what do you do when you when you 203 00:11:00,559 --> 00:11:01,600 Speaker 3: encounter a shift? 204 00:11:01,920 --> 00:11:02,120 Speaker 2: Right? 205 00:11:02,120 --> 00:11:06,720 Speaker 3: And so for me, I was faced with a huge contract. 206 00:11:06,760 --> 00:11:10,280 Speaker 3: There was so much money attached to it, and I thought, Wow, 207 00:11:10,320 --> 00:11:13,640 Speaker 3: this is my big break, this is amazing. I'm going 208 00:11:13,679 --> 00:11:17,280 Speaker 3: into the Promised Land, you know. But then it had 209 00:11:17,920 --> 00:11:20,840 Speaker 3: a clause in there, which me as an actress, you know, 210 00:11:20,880 --> 00:11:22,840 Speaker 3: for me, it was a nudity clause and I don't 211 00:11:22,920 --> 00:11:27,240 Speaker 3: do nudity. I don't feel comfortable with that, and so 212 00:11:27,360 --> 00:11:30,760 Speaker 3: it was a prerequisite as far as this contract. And 213 00:11:30,800 --> 00:11:35,120 Speaker 3: that made it very very difficult for me, because, yes, 214 00:11:35,160 --> 00:11:38,000 Speaker 3: did I want to get out of the low income 215 00:11:38,040 --> 00:11:41,080 Speaker 3: housing that I was living in. Did I want to 216 00:11:41,120 --> 00:11:43,480 Speaker 3: see my life change? Yes? 217 00:11:43,720 --> 00:11:44,320 Speaker 2: I did. 218 00:11:45,320 --> 00:11:47,360 Speaker 3: But at the same time, I wanted to be in 219 00:11:47,400 --> 00:11:50,160 Speaker 3: God's will for my life more. And I knew that 220 00:11:50,960 --> 00:11:54,520 Speaker 3: if I said no to this opportunity, it may mean 221 00:11:54,679 --> 00:11:56,719 Speaker 3: that I'm going to have to go back just a 222 00:11:56,760 --> 00:12:00,120 Speaker 3: little while longer. And so that's what happened. But that 223 00:12:00,440 --> 00:12:05,079 Speaker 3: season that I entered into, that that three year waiting season, 224 00:12:05,960 --> 00:12:08,760 Speaker 3: you know, it's it's almost like, so, yeah, a sister 225 00:12:08,840 --> 00:12:13,400 Speaker 3: was unemployed. I didn't have a lot of money, as 226 00:12:13,440 --> 00:12:16,720 Speaker 3: I said I was. I was living in subsidized housing 227 00:12:18,000 --> 00:12:21,320 Speaker 3: in New York, which already New York is not the 228 00:12:21,400 --> 00:12:22,960 Speaker 3: easiest place to live. 229 00:12:23,920 --> 00:12:27,400 Speaker 1: I was pushing my pre was this around early two thousands, 230 00:12:27,400 --> 00:12:31,440 Speaker 1: mid two thousands, Yeah, Okay, so I'm trying to place 231 00:12:31,559 --> 00:12:33,800 Speaker 1: like the recession and if that might have hadn't picked that. 232 00:12:33,920 --> 00:12:36,600 Speaker 3: Oh well that's well, I'm going there. I'm going there. 233 00:12:36,640 --> 00:12:40,480 Speaker 3: That's the turning point. Actually, yeah, thank you for your 234 00:12:40,520 --> 00:12:45,080 Speaker 3: mind that's putting days together. Because that was before the 235 00:12:45,160 --> 00:12:49,440 Speaker 3: recession and so and so that three years kind of 236 00:12:49,520 --> 00:12:53,120 Speaker 3: almost ended up leading up to it. And so you know, 237 00:12:53,280 --> 00:12:57,080 Speaker 3: in that time, I was I was not rich in possessions, 238 00:12:57,080 --> 00:12:59,360 Speaker 3: but I but I became rich in faith. So you 239 00:12:59,440 --> 00:13:01,880 Speaker 3: asked me, like, well, what got me through it? Like 240 00:13:01,960 --> 00:13:06,240 Speaker 3: I really, I really tapped in. And sometimes it's the 241 00:13:06,320 --> 00:13:09,400 Speaker 3: need that you have that pushes you to tap in 242 00:13:09,400 --> 00:13:12,360 Speaker 3: in ways that when it's just abundant and everything's flowing, 243 00:13:12,400 --> 00:13:15,640 Speaker 3: you're like, I'm good, but I knew I needed Jesus. 244 00:13:16,600 --> 00:13:20,120 Speaker 3: Like with the fan, it was like, okay, God, you 245 00:13:20,200 --> 00:13:21,400 Speaker 3: know what's my purpose? 246 00:13:21,840 --> 00:13:22,880 Speaker 2: Why am I here? 247 00:13:23,360 --> 00:13:25,280 Speaker 3: What do I need to learn? What do you want 248 00:13:25,280 --> 00:13:27,720 Speaker 3: me to do if I'm not gonna be on stage 249 00:13:27,760 --> 00:13:29,280 Speaker 3: or if I'm not gonna be performing or you know, 250 00:13:29,520 --> 00:13:32,760 Speaker 3: fully flourishing in my job or in my career the 251 00:13:32,840 --> 00:13:35,480 Speaker 3: way I want to what else is it that you 252 00:13:35,640 --> 00:13:38,240 Speaker 3: have for me? During that time, that's when I started 253 00:13:38,240 --> 00:13:43,520 Speaker 3: an organization, a nonprofit, you know, started speaking, was leading workshops. 254 00:13:43,520 --> 00:13:46,000 Speaker 3: I was doing so many things because I felt like, 255 00:13:46,600 --> 00:13:49,400 Speaker 3: let me pour into someone else's dream while God is 256 00:13:49,440 --> 00:13:52,960 Speaker 3: preparing mine. And so I talk in the book about that, like, 257 00:13:53,280 --> 00:13:56,400 Speaker 3: we don't always realize how God is using even those 258 00:13:56,520 --> 00:14:00,800 Speaker 3: behind the scenes places to prepare you for your next 259 00:14:00,840 --> 00:14:04,160 Speaker 3: place of prosperity. You don't see it, you don't know it. 260 00:14:04,160 --> 00:14:07,960 Speaker 3: It can feel so painful, but on the other side 261 00:14:07,960 --> 00:14:10,200 Speaker 3: of it, it's a huge blessing. And so once the 262 00:14:10,280 --> 00:14:12,560 Speaker 3: recession came two thousand and eight, that's when I said, 263 00:14:12,600 --> 00:14:16,040 Speaker 3: oh no, no, no, no, no, no, uh uh no. And 264 00:14:16,160 --> 00:14:19,280 Speaker 3: that's when the real faith kicked in because I kind 265 00:14:19,280 --> 00:14:21,800 Speaker 3: of it was like the buckstop here, you know. It 266 00:14:21,840 --> 00:14:24,200 Speaker 3: was sort of like, Okay, I've already had my own 267 00:14:24,240 --> 00:14:27,280 Speaker 3: personal recession. Now y'all trying to tell me it's about 268 00:14:27,280 --> 00:14:31,120 Speaker 3: to be a global recession and everybody's And I literally 269 00:14:31,160 --> 00:14:34,840 Speaker 3: got indignant, and I got indignant with God, and I said, 270 00:14:34,920 --> 00:14:38,560 Speaker 3: this will not be my story. I will not continue 271 00:14:38,600 --> 00:14:42,400 Speaker 3: down this path. Even though things are not working out 272 00:14:42,480 --> 00:14:46,360 Speaker 3: for whatever percentage of Americans, they are going to work 273 00:14:46,400 --> 00:14:47,000 Speaker 3: out for me. 274 00:14:49,280 --> 00:14:51,960 Speaker 1: Hey ba, fam We're gonna take a quick break, pay 275 00:14:52,000 --> 00:14:53,800 Speaker 1: some bills, and we'll be right back. 276 00:14:56,080 --> 00:14:59,520 Speaker 3: And that's when I really started leaning into the power 277 00:14:59,600 --> 00:15:03,400 Speaker 3: of being into existence. Right the things that you want 278 00:15:03,440 --> 00:15:05,640 Speaker 3: to see or this god dream that I talk about 279 00:15:05,640 --> 00:15:07,360 Speaker 3: in the book, and the world is waiting for you, 280 00:15:07,880 --> 00:15:12,080 Speaker 3: having to contend for that dream, and you rising up 281 00:15:12,200 --> 00:15:16,280 Speaker 3: right like you rising up in your power and making declarations. 282 00:15:16,400 --> 00:15:18,360 Speaker 3: And so right around that two thousand and eight, that's 283 00:15:18,360 --> 00:15:21,360 Speaker 3: when I started making real declarations. And when I tell 284 00:15:21,400 --> 00:15:24,760 Speaker 3: you that two thousand and eight going into two thousand 285 00:15:24,760 --> 00:15:27,800 Speaker 3: and nine and beyond ended up being the most prosperous 286 00:15:27,840 --> 00:15:31,120 Speaker 3: times of my life, Like that was the turning point 287 00:15:31,520 --> 00:15:35,400 Speaker 3: into incredible prosperity. Because my thing was, God, I've been 288 00:15:35,520 --> 00:15:39,840 Speaker 3: I've already been like in poverty, I've already been struggling. 289 00:15:39,880 --> 00:15:41,840 Speaker 3: I've already been like I'm not about to do it 290 00:15:41,840 --> 00:15:45,440 Speaker 3: again with everybody else. This, you know, and a gift. 291 00:15:45,480 --> 00:15:47,280 Speaker 1: It was a gift to be broke during that time 292 00:15:47,280 --> 00:15:48,640 Speaker 1: because we didn't had much to lose. 293 00:15:49,440 --> 00:15:50,040 Speaker 3: We didn't have much. 294 00:15:50,440 --> 00:15:53,120 Speaker 1: They had their four O one k's, they had properties. 295 00:15:53,720 --> 00:15:55,080 Speaker 2: You know, you didn't have much. 296 00:15:55,880 --> 00:15:58,320 Speaker 1: You're just like, well, the cans, the cans of beans 297 00:15:58,320 --> 00:16:00,160 Speaker 1: that I got, you know, on discount, there's so on 298 00:16:00,240 --> 00:16:02,880 Speaker 1: the shelf. I got my everything. You know, it's sort 299 00:16:02,920 --> 00:16:07,400 Speaker 1: of stable. I think that's such a such a and 300 00:16:07,440 --> 00:16:09,520 Speaker 1: you probably never knew or probably never thought maybe this 301 00:16:09,560 --> 00:16:11,200 Speaker 1: will happen again. But I think we're in such that 302 00:16:11,320 --> 00:16:13,800 Speaker 1: time right now, and there's so many you know, I 303 00:16:13,840 --> 00:16:15,760 Speaker 1: do a lot of coaching as well, and I there's 304 00:16:15,880 --> 00:16:18,040 Speaker 1: women I think of in this community that I created, 305 00:16:18,480 --> 00:16:22,000 Speaker 1: it's called the Mandy money Makers, so original, and they 306 00:16:22,480 --> 00:16:25,080 Speaker 1: they're working in sales, they're working part time, and it's 307 00:16:25,080 --> 00:16:26,600 Speaker 1: not the thing that they want to be doing. And 308 00:16:27,240 --> 00:16:30,480 Speaker 1: you know, it's it's what you've just captured, is like 309 00:16:30,480 --> 00:16:34,520 Speaker 1: the power of just deciding to be the exception, just 310 00:16:34,600 --> 00:16:39,440 Speaker 1: deciding that that's not entrusting in the power of that decisiveness. 311 00:16:39,560 --> 00:16:42,920 Speaker 1: Is that mindset, It's it's one of the most hard 312 00:16:43,040 --> 00:16:44,880 Speaker 1: the hardest things to do to like go against that 313 00:16:44,960 --> 00:16:46,120 Speaker 1: current of negativity. 314 00:16:46,800 --> 00:16:50,160 Speaker 3: Absolutely absolutely. I mean even in our industry, you know, 315 00:16:50,200 --> 00:16:53,920 Speaker 3: as far as entertainment, you know, it's affecting everyone. Every 316 00:16:54,080 --> 00:16:58,800 Speaker 3: sector is affected. And it is very easy to go 317 00:16:58,880 --> 00:17:03,840 Speaker 3: into the glorific case of the struggle, right and what's happening, 318 00:17:03,880 --> 00:17:06,560 Speaker 3: and oh, you know this is down forty percent and 319 00:17:06,760 --> 00:17:09,600 Speaker 3: you know these this this percentage of people are unemployed, 320 00:17:09,600 --> 00:17:12,520 Speaker 3: are not working, Like it can feel so overwhelming that 321 00:17:12,560 --> 00:17:15,600 Speaker 3: you repeat it every day, right, every day and you 322 00:17:15,680 --> 00:17:19,159 Speaker 3: see the obstacles, so the obstacle becomes so grand that 323 00:17:19,240 --> 00:17:23,960 Speaker 3: we all also lose sight of ourselves and the possibilities 324 00:17:25,000 --> 00:17:29,480 Speaker 3: within it, right of the divine possibilities that even if 325 00:17:29,680 --> 00:17:32,960 Speaker 3: ninety nine point nine nine nine nine nine percent of 326 00:17:33,040 --> 00:17:37,239 Speaker 3: people are experiencing this, I can be a part of 327 00:17:37,280 --> 00:17:41,720 Speaker 3: the point, oh one, you know that is going to 328 00:17:41,960 --> 00:17:45,040 Speaker 3: be prosperous in this season. And I think that that 329 00:17:45,160 --> 00:17:48,720 Speaker 3: we do have to start cultivating that discipline of positivity 330 00:17:48,880 --> 00:17:53,480 Speaker 3: and that discipline of seeing seeing a great outcome. You know, 331 00:17:53,520 --> 00:17:55,159 Speaker 3: in the book the world is waiting for you. I 332 00:17:55,200 --> 00:17:58,119 Speaker 3: ask the question what's the best that can happen? A 333 00:17:58,119 --> 00:18:00,159 Speaker 3: lot of times we go for what's the worst that 334 00:18:00,160 --> 00:18:02,280 Speaker 3: can happen? What's the worst that can happen? You know, 335 00:18:02,400 --> 00:18:05,040 Speaker 3: and we just slowly begin to diminish our life. But 336 00:18:05,080 --> 00:18:09,120 Speaker 3: if we can live each day honestly thinking about what 337 00:18:09,280 --> 00:18:14,240 Speaker 3: is the best that can happen and allow ourselves to 338 00:18:14,280 --> 00:18:17,359 Speaker 3: see it, then what we'll do SELB consciously is begin 339 00:18:17,480 --> 00:18:20,840 Speaker 3: to move toward opportunities that we did not even realize 340 00:18:20,920 --> 00:18:26,000 Speaker 3: existed when we felt even more defeated. Right, and so, 341 00:18:26,280 --> 00:18:28,240 Speaker 3: and I love that you have a community right Like, 342 00:18:28,280 --> 00:18:31,119 Speaker 3: I have a community to Abundant Life University and the 343 00:18:31,160 --> 00:18:34,200 Speaker 3: God Dreamers Academy, you know, and we just keep each 344 00:18:34,240 --> 00:18:38,880 Speaker 3: other encouraged, right like, what is the best? Not only 345 00:18:38,960 --> 00:18:42,600 Speaker 3: what's the best that can happen, but also also what miracles, 346 00:18:43,000 --> 00:18:45,920 Speaker 3: what miracles can happen. So in the world is waiting 347 00:18:45,920 --> 00:18:49,359 Speaker 3: for you. I talk a lot about divine intervention and miracles, 348 00:18:49,400 --> 00:18:51,080 Speaker 3: and there have been things that have happened in my 349 00:18:51,160 --> 00:18:54,520 Speaker 3: life where it's come to open doors or financial breakthroughs 350 00:18:54,600 --> 00:18:58,919 Speaker 3: or contracts or business opportunities or motherhood marriage. All I 351 00:18:58,960 --> 00:19:02,879 Speaker 3: can go down the list where it was literally divine 352 00:19:03,040 --> 00:19:06,560 Speaker 3: intervention that came, you know, and it was still in 353 00:19:06,600 --> 00:19:10,399 Speaker 3: response to my faith or my you know, active faith 354 00:19:10,520 --> 00:19:13,080 Speaker 3: in relationship to being able to hear God's voice and 355 00:19:13,119 --> 00:19:15,919 Speaker 3: move in a particular direction. So, you know, I just 356 00:19:15,960 --> 00:19:19,760 Speaker 3: want to say, like, let's not discount the fact that 357 00:19:20,640 --> 00:19:25,480 Speaker 3: the weight of it all does not have to fall 358 00:19:25,560 --> 00:19:27,959 Speaker 3: squarely on our own shoulders. 359 00:19:28,200 --> 00:19:28,439 Speaker 2: You know. 360 00:19:28,520 --> 00:19:31,200 Speaker 3: I strongly believe that, I strongly believe that if we're 361 00:19:31,240 --> 00:19:33,680 Speaker 3: walking with God, that a part of what He's doing 362 00:19:33,720 --> 00:19:36,840 Speaker 3: for us is holding us up, and not only holding 363 00:19:36,920 --> 00:19:39,520 Speaker 3: us up, but also creating a new beginning. 364 00:19:41,359 --> 00:19:45,200 Speaker 1: Yeah, one of the my favorite parts of the book, 365 00:19:45,280 --> 00:19:47,679 Speaker 1: and something that I talk about a lot is I mean, 366 00:19:47,720 --> 00:19:49,879 Speaker 1: I think we've talked about the mindset right, and the 367 00:19:49,880 --> 00:19:52,359 Speaker 1: faith element and the trust, and I know in the book, 368 00:19:52,400 --> 00:19:55,240 Speaker 1: you there's a lot of I love these like little 369 00:19:55,240 --> 00:19:58,119 Speaker 1: moments of what do you call them God nods or 370 00:19:58,280 --> 00:20:00,880 Speaker 1: just like you have an experience and then you come 371 00:20:00,920 --> 00:20:03,520 Speaker 1: back to that same place, like you're on You're in Hollywood, 372 00:20:04,000 --> 00:20:05,679 Speaker 1: you know, is it that you're in You're you're in 373 00:20:05,720 --> 00:20:08,840 Speaker 1: downtown Hollywood. You see this sign that says Harlem to Hollywood. 374 00:20:08,880 --> 00:20:10,159 Speaker 1: You're not a star at that point. 375 00:20:10,359 --> 00:20:12,439 Speaker 3: Actually, and that's the funny thing. I didn't even see it. 376 00:20:12,480 --> 00:20:15,439 Speaker 3: My camera took a picture by itself. That's what I 377 00:20:15,520 --> 00:20:16,959 Speaker 3: mean about divine interventions. 378 00:20:16,960 --> 00:20:18,840 Speaker 1: It's right. I was trying to envision, like, how did 379 00:20:18,840 --> 00:20:19,320 Speaker 1: it happen? 380 00:20:19,640 --> 00:20:23,000 Speaker 3: It was my camera. Literally, I was walking down the street. 381 00:20:23,040 --> 00:20:25,520 Speaker 3: But I'd seen the sign two days And guys, if 382 00:20:25,520 --> 00:20:27,240 Speaker 3: you don't know, if you haven't read the book yet, 383 00:20:27,680 --> 00:20:31,000 Speaker 3: the first chapter is called from Harlem to Hollywood, And yeah, 384 00:20:31,040 --> 00:20:33,520 Speaker 3: and I was at the top of Running Canyon, saw 385 00:20:33,560 --> 00:20:35,440 Speaker 3: a sign in the distance, couldn't make out all the 386 00:20:35,480 --> 00:20:38,200 Speaker 3: words Two days later, I was walking. My camera flashes 387 00:20:38,240 --> 00:20:41,120 Speaker 3: on its own and here's the sign that I struggled 388 00:20:41,160 --> 00:20:42,520 Speaker 3: to see now up close. 389 00:20:42,320 --> 00:20:43,360 Speaker 2: And personal point. 390 00:20:45,400 --> 00:20:47,600 Speaker 3: I had. I had an actual camera. It was like 391 00:20:47,640 --> 00:20:50,359 Speaker 3: one of those cameras that that hang from your you 392 00:20:50,359 --> 00:20:51,560 Speaker 3: know those back in the day. 393 00:20:51,440 --> 00:20:54,040 Speaker 1: And hangs like yes, I used to take my. 394 00:20:54,200 --> 00:20:56,040 Speaker 3: Oh oh, you're saying that type of right. But it's 395 00:20:56,080 --> 00:20:58,439 Speaker 3: like my hand wasn't even nowhere on the you know. 396 00:20:58,480 --> 00:21:00,760 Speaker 3: It's like here I am walking with the just like 397 00:21:01,359 --> 00:21:04,760 Speaker 3: swaying in a distance, and it captures up close, perfectly 398 00:21:04,800 --> 00:21:09,400 Speaker 3: framed this picture from Harlem to Hollywood. Your star, congratulations, 399 00:21:09,760 --> 00:21:12,240 Speaker 3: And that is what Soon thereafter I was I was 400 00:21:13,640 --> 00:21:17,520 Speaker 3: casting a show in Hollywood, and my entire life changed. 401 00:21:18,640 --> 00:21:21,560 Speaker 1: Yeah, it's beautiful. And then so you have like that, 402 00:21:22,240 --> 00:21:25,760 Speaker 1: you have the openness to you know, the best outcome, 403 00:21:25,840 --> 00:21:27,040 Speaker 1: and you start to think that way. 404 00:21:27,280 --> 00:21:28,960 Speaker 2: But at the same time, you're not just. 405 00:21:28,960 --> 00:21:33,119 Speaker 1: Sitting there like it's coming any day, like just waiting. 406 00:21:33,160 --> 00:21:36,199 Speaker 1: You're also you're moving your feet, you're still showing up, 407 00:21:36,200 --> 00:21:39,280 Speaker 1: you're engaging, you're acting, You're doing a lot of stage performances. 408 00:21:39,359 --> 00:21:41,760 Speaker 1: You said, you know in the theater world where you 409 00:21:41,760 --> 00:21:44,359 Speaker 1: got your start. I know, you did some acting in DC, 410 00:21:44,480 --> 00:21:45,960 Speaker 1: and then when you moved to New York, you went 411 00:21:46,000 --> 00:21:49,919 Speaker 1: to NYU and there's an up and coming, incredible talent. 412 00:21:50,600 --> 00:21:53,000 Speaker 1: Viola Davis is making her way, you know, as the 413 00:21:53,040 --> 00:21:56,160 Speaker 1: stage actress said, she became and you have this chance encounter. 414 00:21:56,280 --> 00:21:58,240 Speaker 1: You're still putting yourself in these rooms. You know, you 415 00:21:58,560 --> 00:22:01,119 Speaker 1: show up at the Tony's and what capacity. 416 00:22:00,600 --> 00:22:01,080 Speaker 2: Were you there? 417 00:22:01,119 --> 00:22:04,000 Speaker 1: Were you like a student guest or Yeah? 418 00:22:04,040 --> 00:22:07,159 Speaker 3: So at the time, I was interning at the Joseph 419 00:22:07,240 --> 00:22:10,720 Speaker 3: pat Public Theater and I was doing Shakespeare in the Park. 420 00:22:11,440 --> 00:22:15,159 Speaker 3: And one of the people that that was, you know, 421 00:22:15,240 --> 00:22:17,480 Speaker 3: a part of this staff of that was nominated for 422 00:22:17,640 --> 00:22:21,760 Speaker 3: Tony that year, and he offered me a ticket, My 423 00:22:21,920 --> 00:22:25,119 Speaker 3: nineteen year old self offered me a ticket to the 424 00:22:25,200 --> 00:22:29,800 Speaker 3: Tony Awards. I could not have been anymore elated. Got 425 00:22:29,800 --> 00:22:34,000 Speaker 3: there and who wonted Tony that night but miss Siola Davis. 426 00:22:35,359 --> 00:22:37,719 Speaker 2: And that's where it could end. But you're you're Duena 427 00:22:37,800 --> 00:22:39,440 Speaker 2: and you see signed from God. 428 00:22:39,920 --> 00:22:43,840 Speaker 1: So you go out into the street and Viola is 429 00:22:43,840 --> 00:22:45,920 Speaker 1: there with her husband Julius. 430 00:22:46,080 --> 00:22:47,560 Speaker 3: Yes, I don't know if he's. 431 00:22:47,400 --> 00:22:50,560 Speaker 1: The first or second most famous Julius after Beyonce's bodyguard, Like, 432 00:22:50,600 --> 00:22:54,280 Speaker 1: I don't know, but we all know Julius and they're 433 00:22:54,320 --> 00:22:56,160 Speaker 1: on the street and you just what you just walk 434 00:22:56,240 --> 00:23:00,639 Speaker 1: up to her and next to you're what do you think? 435 00:23:00,880 --> 00:23:02,800 Speaker 2: Yeah, tell me about that encounter and how that. 436 00:23:03,080 --> 00:23:06,760 Speaker 3: Yeah, I mean, you know, earlier on, I didn't realize 437 00:23:06,760 --> 00:23:09,639 Speaker 3: the pattern. Now that I'm you know, further along in 438 00:23:09,680 --> 00:23:13,040 Speaker 3: this in this life, in this manifestation life, you know, 439 00:23:13,080 --> 00:23:16,520 Speaker 3: I realized that one of the techniques that I kind 440 00:23:16,520 --> 00:23:22,119 Speaker 3: of implement is taking is taking pictures and actually marking, 441 00:23:22,760 --> 00:23:26,600 Speaker 3: marking a moment, marking this day. There's something about this 442 00:23:26,760 --> 00:23:30,240 Speaker 3: moment that I'm supposed to lean into and pay attention to. 443 00:23:31,200 --> 00:23:33,840 Speaker 3: There's something about this moment that I'm supposed to clock 444 00:23:33,920 --> 00:23:37,440 Speaker 3: that I don't may not understand right now, but that's 445 00:23:37,440 --> 00:23:40,720 Speaker 3: gonna come to me. So literally, yeah. So, So she 446 00:23:40,800 --> 00:23:43,280 Speaker 3: had her Tony Award and Julie supposed to beside her, 447 00:23:43,280 --> 00:23:46,240 Speaker 3: and they were out in front of Radio City Music Hall. 448 00:23:46,280 --> 00:23:48,159 Speaker 3: I was on my way to the subway, and I 449 00:23:48,240 --> 00:23:53,000 Speaker 3: turned around. I'm like, and so I make a B 450 00:23:53,160 --> 00:23:56,119 Speaker 3: line for them and congratulations. I'm so happy for you. 451 00:23:56,160 --> 00:23:58,680 Speaker 3: I'm so inspired by you because at that time, as 452 00:23:58,680 --> 00:24:01,320 Speaker 3: a student. Many of the August Wilson plays that I 453 00:24:01,359 --> 00:24:03,240 Speaker 3: was performing in, you'd open up the front of the 454 00:24:03,280 --> 00:24:05,600 Speaker 3: book or the front of the play and it would 455 00:24:05,600 --> 00:24:10,440 Speaker 3: say role originated by Viola Davis. And so I said, 456 00:24:10,600 --> 00:24:12,639 Speaker 3: you know, can I just take a picture of you? 457 00:24:12,720 --> 00:24:14,840 Speaker 3: This is before selfie's and like, let me get in 458 00:24:14,920 --> 00:24:17,600 Speaker 3: it right. It was like, can I take a picture 459 00:24:17,640 --> 00:24:20,359 Speaker 3: of you? And so I took that picture of the 460 00:24:20,440 --> 00:24:23,359 Speaker 3: two of them with that Tony Award. And it's funny 461 00:24:23,359 --> 00:24:25,920 Speaker 3: because you know, just a few years later, I ended 462 00:24:26,000 --> 00:24:28,639 Speaker 3: up writing a play for them, I end up living 463 00:24:28,680 --> 00:24:32,200 Speaker 3: with them, and what picture was right there in their 464 00:24:32,280 --> 00:24:35,600 Speaker 3: home framed but that picture that I had taken all 465 00:24:35,680 --> 00:24:40,320 Speaker 3: those years, Oh, I go. Yeah, So many things come 466 00:24:40,359 --> 00:24:45,800 Speaker 3: full circle. And I think, you know, taking pictures, whether 467 00:24:45,800 --> 00:24:49,800 Speaker 3: it was my camera taking the picture by itself, you know, 468 00:24:49,920 --> 00:24:52,760 Speaker 3: or me going to the Oprah Winfrey Network and believing 469 00:24:52,840 --> 00:24:55,560 Speaker 3: that hey, one day I'm going to work here and 470 00:24:55,640 --> 00:24:59,480 Speaker 3: intentionally taking a picture of myself in front of the sign. 471 00:25:00,119 --> 00:25:03,080 Speaker 3: I posted it to Facebook that day with a scripture 472 00:25:03,200 --> 00:25:06,120 Speaker 3: Joshua one to three, wheresoever the soul of your foot 473 00:25:06,119 --> 00:25:08,800 Speaker 3: show tread God will give you? That was nine to nine, 474 00:25:08,840 --> 00:25:13,080 Speaker 3: twenty eleven, the first year own ever opened by not 475 00:25:13,080 --> 00:25:17,280 Speaker 3: not even by. On nine nine, twenty fourteen, exactly three 476 00:25:17,359 --> 00:25:21,720 Speaker 3: years later, my new show was premiering on the Oprah 477 00:25:21,720 --> 00:25:24,640 Speaker 3: Winfrey Network, you know. And so that's why I say 478 00:25:24,720 --> 00:25:27,359 Speaker 3: some of these things, as far as you know, when 479 00:25:27,400 --> 00:25:31,200 Speaker 3: there's economic downturn or when we don't have a job 480 00:25:31,240 --> 00:25:34,000 Speaker 3: where you know, there's so many things that can impact us, 481 00:25:34,040 --> 00:25:37,280 Speaker 3: and if we only see them through natural eyes, we 482 00:25:37,359 --> 00:25:39,399 Speaker 3: may not see a way out. We just may not 483 00:25:39,480 --> 00:25:42,840 Speaker 3: see a way out. But if we allow ourselves to 484 00:25:42,920 --> 00:25:47,240 Speaker 3: elevate and see through spiritualize, then we may be able 485 00:25:47,280 --> 00:25:52,600 Speaker 3: to start claiming things spiritually or by faith. That yeah, 486 00:25:52,640 --> 00:25:57,600 Speaker 3: that that realistically or practically, that's not how it works, right, 487 00:25:57,680 --> 00:26:01,240 Speaker 3: that's not how it works. But spiritually you can begin 488 00:26:01,359 --> 00:26:04,800 Speaker 3: to open up places for yourself. The same thing happened 489 00:26:04,800 --> 00:26:06,919 Speaker 3: with me at shondaland the same thing happened with me 490 00:26:06,960 --> 00:26:10,320 Speaker 3: at Tyler Perry Studios, you know. And so and these 491 00:26:10,320 --> 00:26:14,560 Speaker 3: were all in times where a lot of people were struggling, 492 00:26:14,640 --> 00:26:18,440 Speaker 3: including myself, right, And so I know what that feeling 493 00:26:18,600 --> 00:26:21,840 Speaker 3: is to feel defeated, but also to be wrestling in 494 00:26:21,880 --> 00:26:26,640 Speaker 3: faith and saying, oh, but I believe. Right, I feel defeated, 495 00:26:26,680 --> 00:26:30,000 Speaker 3: but I believe. And there's something about the power of 496 00:26:30,080 --> 00:26:34,640 Speaker 3: belief that really is directly connected to manifesting your God dream. 497 00:26:36,040 --> 00:26:38,960 Speaker 1: That's so true and for anyone. Again, the book is 498 00:26:39,240 --> 00:26:40,320 Speaker 1: the world is waiting for you. 499 00:26:40,320 --> 00:26:41,240 Speaker 2: You have to pick it up. 500 00:26:41,720 --> 00:26:45,280 Speaker 1: I think it's it's almost inviting me. I feel like 501 00:26:45,320 --> 00:26:46,840 Speaker 1: I'm in the season right now. You know, I mentioned 502 00:26:46,840 --> 00:26:49,360 Speaker 1: how these two kids, it's so hard being a mom. 503 00:26:49,400 --> 00:26:51,320 Speaker 1: I live with I don't live near my family. You know, 504 00:26:51,320 --> 00:26:53,719 Speaker 1: I'm an entrepreneur and I'm doing all the things. I'm 505 00:26:53,760 --> 00:26:58,359 Speaker 1: working on my first book as well. I thank some 506 00:26:58,480 --> 00:27:01,679 Speaker 1: in my like third manuscript. It's it's so it's wild, 507 00:27:02,400 --> 00:27:04,360 Speaker 1: it's a gift, but it's also it's just a. 508 00:27:04,320 --> 00:27:04,800 Speaker 2: Lot, you know. 509 00:27:04,880 --> 00:27:08,199 Speaker 1: And I think I had to delete Instagram off my 510 00:27:08,280 --> 00:27:08,880 Speaker 1: phone for the. 511 00:27:08,800 --> 00:27:10,240 Speaker 2: First time this week. 512 00:27:11,359 --> 00:27:16,639 Speaker 1: It's a crushing amount of like challenging imagery and news 513 00:27:16,760 --> 00:27:19,119 Speaker 1: and all of that. And one of the things I 514 00:27:19,200 --> 00:27:22,679 Speaker 1: keep going back to, and and I'll touch on what 515 00:27:22,760 --> 00:27:25,600 Speaker 1: you cover in the book too, is like this embracing 516 00:27:25,760 --> 00:27:28,960 Speaker 1: of like your peers, not as competition, but as like 517 00:27:30,359 --> 00:27:34,280 Speaker 1: your compete, like your companions on the journey and I 518 00:27:34,320 --> 00:27:36,800 Speaker 1: wanted you to talk a bit about how you embraced 519 00:27:36,800 --> 00:27:40,639 Speaker 1: your peers because it's extremely I mean, any industry is competitive, 520 00:27:40,680 --> 00:27:44,679 Speaker 1: but Hollywood of course has this like reputation for pitting 521 00:27:44,680 --> 00:27:47,000 Speaker 1: women against each other and all that. But I mean, 522 00:27:47,040 --> 00:27:49,680 Speaker 1: you were in LA and you're hosting these what kind 523 00:27:49,680 --> 00:27:54,520 Speaker 1: of like spiritual like gatherings are you hosting? And like, yeah, profits, 524 00:27:54,640 --> 00:27:56,240 Speaker 1: which I didn't even know was a job, but like 525 00:27:56,280 --> 00:27:58,880 Speaker 1: apparently you can be a profit and you bring them 526 00:27:58,880 --> 00:28:01,360 Speaker 1: together and you're like crazy in this community. How did 527 00:28:01,400 --> 00:28:03,760 Speaker 1: you start that and how important did that become to 528 00:28:03,840 --> 00:28:05,119 Speaker 1: you in your own career journey? 529 00:28:05,359 --> 00:28:09,920 Speaker 3: Yeah, you know early on when I was in college. Actually, 530 00:28:11,760 --> 00:28:15,640 Speaker 3: I just felt this calling to start a spiritual community 531 00:28:15,640 --> 00:28:20,680 Speaker 3: for artists while in college, and so I didn't at 532 00:28:20,720 --> 00:28:22,960 Speaker 3: the time feel like I could start anything, you know, 533 00:28:23,119 --> 00:28:25,960 Speaker 3: like I'm pretty much a kid, right, like, God, what 534 00:28:26,000 --> 00:28:29,600 Speaker 3: are you asking me to do? But when I just 535 00:28:29,760 --> 00:28:33,840 Speaker 3: follow the voice and put it out there, so many 536 00:28:33,920 --> 00:28:38,600 Speaker 3: students came, So many students came, and I realized that 537 00:28:38,760 --> 00:28:42,440 Speaker 3: oh this you know, this kind of gap that I'm 538 00:28:42,520 --> 00:28:46,640 Speaker 3: feeling right where I'm pursuing the arts. But also I'm 539 00:28:46,680 --> 00:28:49,200 Speaker 3: a person of faith, and I don't necessarily have a 540 00:28:49,240 --> 00:28:53,200 Speaker 3: community for that. Suddenly I found all these people who 541 00:28:53,200 --> 00:28:56,600 Speaker 3: were feeling the same way, and so I didn't know 542 00:28:56,760 --> 00:29:00,040 Speaker 3: that that was just the beginning of this journey that 543 00:29:00,080 --> 00:29:02,600 Speaker 3: I was going to go on even into my professional life. 544 00:29:02,600 --> 00:29:10,680 Speaker 3: But yeah, now we're bringing hundreds of directors, writers, producers, actors, 545 00:29:10,880 --> 00:29:14,760 Speaker 3: you know, various celebrities, musical artists, all of that together 546 00:29:14,960 --> 00:29:19,480 Speaker 3: in these spiritual gatherings. And so a lot of times 547 00:29:19,640 --> 00:29:23,600 Speaker 3: I will bring in, like you said, a profit or 548 00:29:23,760 --> 00:29:29,400 Speaker 3: you know, someone who is able to minister to the 549 00:29:29,560 --> 00:29:34,920 Speaker 3: entertainment community on on a level that we can receive, right, 550 00:29:35,320 --> 00:29:39,840 Speaker 3: not only receive, but need in addition to creating community 551 00:29:40,080 --> 00:29:44,800 Speaker 3: amongst ourselves that is encouraging, that is not competitive, That 552 00:29:44,960 --> 00:29:50,320 Speaker 3: is really about seeing one another succeed, helping one another succeed. 553 00:29:51,520 --> 00:29:54,040 Speaker 3: You know, tomorrow night, Viola Davis and I are doing 554 00:29:54,080 --> 00:29:58,640 Speaker 3: an event at the Grove, and so many of you know, 555 00:29:59,080 --> 00:30:03,280 Speaker 3: artists and entertainm and publicists and you know, people who 556 00:30:03,280 --> 00:30:07,280 Speaker 3: have been a part of that community like yes, I'm coming. 557 00:30:07,320 --> 00:30:09,120 Speaker 3: You know, they're the first ones buying the tickets, they're 558 00:30:09,160 --> 00:30:11,480 Speaker 3: the first ones there, and I just I feel like 559 00:30:11,520 --> 00:30:14,360 Speaker 3: that's what it's really supposed to be about, right, Like, 560 00:30:15,760 --> 00:30:17,479 Speaker 3: one of the things I say in the book is 561 00:30:17,520 --> 00:30:22,520 Speaker 3: that we're each born to brighten our corner of the world, 562 00:30:23,120 --> 00:30:26,800 Speaker 3: and sometimes we can compare ourselves one another. Are talking 563 00:30:26,880 --> 00:30:30,040 Speaker 3: the book about the curse of comparison, you know, how 564 00:30:30,640 --> 00:30:34,360 Speaker 3: comparison makes us feel small that oh, this person's doing 565 00:30:34,400 --> 00:30:36,720 Speaker 3: that and that person's doing that, will little o me 566 00:30:37,520 --> 00:30:41,920 Speaker 3: not realizing that, No, you have a wonderful, beautiful gift 567 00:30:42,120 --> 00:30:46,040 Speaker 3: as well that needs to be shared. There is a 568 00:30:46,080 --> 00:30:50,479 Speaker 3: sense of urgency around what we all have that needs 569 00:30:50,560 --> 00:30:54,560 Speaker 3: to be shared in this world, especially now. 570 00:30:55,120 --> 00:30:57,640 Speaker 1: Yeah, in your career, can you talk a little bit 571 00:30:57,640 --> 00:31:00,160 Speaker 1: about how you've approached it, because you have a lot 572 00:31:00,200 --> 00:31:02,200 Speaker 1: of different things going on. I mean, obviously you're an 573 00:31:02,240 --> 00:31:05,600 Speaker 1: actor and you're an artist and all of that. But 574 00:31:06,280 --> 00:31:08,840 Speaker 1: when did you start to decide, Okay, I'm gonna weave 575 00:31:08,880 --> 00:31:12,920 Speaker 1: in these other streams of revenue, these other business ideas. 576 00:31:13,920 --> 00:31:17,040 Speaker 1: I think you you had you had a vision of 577 00:31:17,080 --> 00:31:19,400 Speaker 1: yourself owning real estate someday. So can we make it 578 00:31:19,440 --> 00:31:21,080 Speaker 1: about money for a second and just kind of talk 579 00:31:21,120 --> 00:31:24,160 Speaker 1: about how you was it strategic or has it been 580 00:31:24,240 --> 00:31:27,480 Speaker 1: out of necessity? You know that you've brought in these 581 00:31:27,520 --> 00:31:30,680 Speaker 1: other you know, business models into your into your career path. 582 00:31:30,880 --> 00:31:33,600 Speaker 3: Yeah, you know, I'm going to be very honest with you, 583 00:31:33,800 --> 00:31:37,880 Speaker 3: and I'm sure that your listeners and certainly people that 584 00:31:37,920 --> 00:31:40,080 Speaker 3: read the book will see a through line of faith 585 00:31:40,200 --> 00:31:43,560 Speaker 3: right throughout it. A lot of things I did not 586 00:31:43,920 --> 00:31:48,480 Speaker 3: know to do, it was God telling me to do them. 587 00:31:50,200 --> 00:31:53,880 Speaker 3: It was really an act of obedience, even this book. 588 00:31:54,560 --> 00:31:57,280 Speaker 3: It was not now, I'm going to write a book 589 00:31:57,280 --> 00:31:58,760 Speaker 3: and now I'm going to open up a whole new 590 00:31:58,960 --> 00:32:01,400 Speaker 3: stream of income for myself. And actually I'm going to 591 00:32:01,480 --> 00:32:03,320 Speaker 3: time it to come out right now because that'll be 592 00:32:03,400 --> 00:32:06,120 Speaker 3: exact time when there's a downturn in the entertainment industry. 593 00:32:06,280 --> 00:32:08,000 Speaker 3: But I'm going to be traveling all over the world 594 00:32:08,080 --> 00:32:10,640 Speaker 3: with the book, right like I did not I wasn't 595 00:32:10,680 --> 00:32:15,200 Speaker 3: that smart to put that all together. But it was 596 00:32:15,680 --> 00:32:20,440 Speaker 3: literally me responding to each instruction that I was given. 597 00:32:21,240 --> 00:32:24,440 Speaker 3: So when it was time to begin an organization, I 598 00:32:24,520 --> 00:32:30,000 Speaker 3: received the literally God spoke to me begin Abundant Life University, 599 00:32:30,880 --> 00:32:32,920 Speaker 3: just like I did when I was nineteen years old 600 00:32:32,960 --> 00:32:36,840 Speaker 3: with that spiritual community at at the school. It was 601 00:32:37,000 --> 00:32:39,040 Speaker 3: just it's been things I have to think, do this 602 00:32:39,160 --> 00:32:41,840 Speaker 3: and That's why in the book, I say, embrace your calling, 603 00:32:42,480 --> 00:32:46,480 Speaker 3: because you're being called to do something right And a 604 00:32:46,520 --> 00:32:49,480 Speaker 3: lot of times we wrestle with and I have a 605 00:32:49,480 --> 00:32:52,640 Speaker 3: whole chapter about the things that hold us back, the 606 00:32:52,680 --> 00:32:55,200 Speaker 3: things that hold us back from manifesting our God dream. 607 00:32:55,920 --> 00:32:58,880 Speaker 3: But if we can if we can connect it with 608 00:32:59,480 --> 00:33:02,720 Speaker 3: a sin of timing right, like if you're feeling called 609 00:33:02,760 --> 00:33:05,000 Speaker 3: to do something, like you feel called to write your book, 610 00:33:05,960 --> 00:33:08,560 Speaker 3: if you're feeling called to do something. A lot of 611 00:33:08,640 --> 00:33:13,480 Speaker 3: us we procrastinate, we delay, we talk ourselves out of things, 612 00:33:13,520 --> 00:33:17,280 Speaker 3: We get fearful, all of these things that hold us back, 613 00:33:17,400 --> 00:33:19,640 Speaker 3: and so it takes years and years in the years 614 00:33:19,960 --> 00:33:23,760 Speaker 3: for us to bring something to completion, many of us. 615 00:33:24,160 --> 00:33:28,680 Speaker 3: But what I've seen now is that when you say yes, 616 00:33:28,880 --> 00:33:32,080 Speaker 3: when you say yes to the calling, you may not 617 00:33:32,320 --> 00:33:36,600 Speaker 3: realize that that yes is designed to bless many others, 618 00:33:36,680 --> 00:33:39,720 Speaker 3: but also designed to bless you. I'll give you an example. 619 00:33:40,200 --> 00:33:45,000 Speaker 3: During the pandemic, again, I felt this calling and my 620 00:33:45,200 --> 00:33:50,040 Speaker 3: husband felt it too, to begin this nonprofit initiative. Right, 621 00:33:50,120 --> 00:33:54,760 Speaker 3: This was not paid It was us actually putting our 622 00:33:55,200 --> 00:33:59,360 Speaker 3: resources together to bless other people during the pandemic, and 623 00:33:59,400 --> 00:34:02,000 Speaker 3: we created this series called twenty one Days of Happy. 624 00:34:02,080 --> 00:34:07,200 Speaker 3: We brought together celebrities, mental health professionals, faith leaders, you know, 625 00:34:07,320 --> 00:34:12,919 Speaker 3: and for twenty one straight days, we just blessed people, right, 626 00:34:13,160 --> 00:34:16,319 Speaker 3: helping them to get through the pandemic. Well, at the 627 00:34:16,440 --> 00:34:19,720 Speaker 3: end of the twenty first day, I get a phone call. 628 00:34:20,600 --> 00:34:24,040 Speaker 3: Who do you think is on the other line? Oprah 629 00:34:24,040 --> 00:34:29,440 Speaker 3: Winfrey turns out that she's been following twenty one Days 630 00:34:29,480 --> 00:34:33,640 Speaker 3: of Happy and now she's inviting me to come and 631 00:34:33,719 --> 00:34:37,080 Speaker 3: host on the network and try to create a model 632 00:34:37,200 --> 00:34:40,799 Speaker 3: like that for Oprah Winfrey Network. Now did I see 633 00:34:40,800 --> 00:34:44,120 Speaker 3: that coming? Did I see this revenue stream coming as 634 00:34:44,120 --> 00:34:46,880 Speaker 3: a result of doing this thing where where it was 635 00:34:47,000 --> 00:34:52,120 Speaker 3: just about blessing people. No, But by answering the call, 636 00:34:53,160 --> 00:34:57,000 Speaker 3: It's funny, but God can back you into tremendous abundance 637 00:34:57,320 --> 00:35:03,359 Speaker 3: and income streams and revenue streams that you may not 638 00:35:03,400 --> 00:35:07,720 Speaker 3: have even known were a part of the abundant life 639 00:35:07,760 --> 00:35:11,319 Speaker 3: that you're meant to live. So you know, there's there 640 00:35:11,360 --> 00:35:14,920 Speaker 3: are different you know, I'm definitely an entrepreneur. I'm definitely 641 00:35:14,960 --> 00:35:21,640 Speaker 3: someone who is brown and ambitious, right as this grenaudience is, 642 00:35:23,080 --> 00:35:26,880 Speaker 3: as this community is, you know, but just also saying 643 00:35:26,960 --> 00:35:30,040 Speaker 3: like Hey, one one aspect of you know, there's one 644 00:35:30,080 --> 00:35:33,799 Speaker 3: aspect of ambition that's like hustling, right and grinding and 645 00:35:33,920 --> 00:35:36,239 Speaker 3: like about my business and getting my paper and all 646 00:35:36,280 --> 00:35:39,360 Speaker 3: these things right. And listen as someone who lived in 647 00:35:39,400 --> 00:35:43,560 Speaker 3: New York for fifteen years, like, I am no stranger 648 00:35:43,640 --> 00:35:47,920 Speaker 3: to the grind or the hustle. But when I moved here, interestingly, 649 00:35:48,120 --> 00:35:50,480 Speaker 3: I received a prophecy and this woman came to me. 650 00:35:50,640 --> 00:35:53,920 Speaker 3: She said, sweet and simple. She said, you've been striving 651 00:35:54,000 --> 00:35:58,239 Speaker 3: and straining to reach you know, your next level. She's like, 652 00:35:58,239 --> 00:36:00,640 Speaker 3: but God is saying, if you say in a sweet 653 00:36:00,680 --> 00:36:02,919 Speaker 3: and simple place, He's going to take it from here. 654 00:36:03,719 --> 00:36:06,000 Speaker 3: And that was hard for me to embrace because that 655 00:36:06,160 --> 00:36:07,759 Speaker 3: was not my normal tempo. 656 00:36:07,520 --> 00:36:09,279 Speaker 2: That was not my worldview. 657 00:36:10,160 --> 00:36:14,200 Speaker 3: But when I began to settle into another level of faith, 658 00:36:14,360 --> 00:36:17,840 Speaker 3: I started seeing doors open for me that I knew 659 00:36:17,880 --> 00:36:19,640 Speaker 3: I could not have opened for myself. 660 00:36:21,520 --> 00:36:23,840 Speaker 1: Hey, ba, fam, we're going to take a quick break, 661 00:36:23,960 --> 00:36:28,879 Speaker 1: pay some bills, and we'll be right back. So I'm 662 00:36:28,920 --> 00:36:31,799 Speaker 1: trying to understand. So, when you had the opportunity to 663 00:36:31,800 --> 00:36:35,359 Speaker 1: come to La, your housing falls through. Julius Viola's husband 664 00:36:35,400 --> 00:36:38,239 Speaker 1: happens to call you. You just can't you mentioned? He's like, well, 665 00:36:38,280 --> 00:36:40,359 Speaker 1: come live with us. Was that your door to LA 666 00:36:40,440 --> 00:36:43,959 Speaker 1: at that point? Was that what enabled you to come 667 00:36:43,960 --> 00:36:47,040 Speaker 1: to LA and not have that like housing insecurity kind 668 00:36:47,080 --> 00:36:49,680 Speaker 1: of weighing on you and give you the space to 669 00:36:49,680 --> 00:36:50,719 Speaker 1: build that career out. 670 00:36:51,520 --> 00:36:56,960 Speaker 3: So what you know, I talked about Harlem to Hollywood, right, 671 00:36:57,000 --> 00:37:02,440 Speaker 3: and that and that supernatural sign. So after that, literally 672 00:37:02,600 --> 00:37:04,640 Speaker 3: the day and I talk about in the book, the 673 00:37:04,920 --> 00:37:08,239 Speaker 3: day after my camera took this Harlem the Hollywood you're 674 00:37:08,280 --> 00:37:16,160 Speaker 3: a star, congratulations, my agency dropped me. So it's too 675 00:37:16,719 --> 00:37:20,480 Speaker 3: again these dichotomies of what's happening in the spirit and 676 00:37:20,520 --> 00:37:23,160 Speaker 3: what's happening in reality. In the spirit God saying you're 677 00:37:23,200 --> 00:37:26,200 Speaker 3: a star. I'm gonna take you to Hollywood. In the natural, 678 00:37:26,320 --> 00:37:30,480 Speaker 3: it's literally the very next day, my agencys you're a 679 00:37:30,520 --> 00:37:34,919 Speaker 3: small actress, You're only destined for small roles. You'll never 680 00:37:35,000 --> 00:37:36,960 Speaker 3: make it in Hollywood, and you need to find a 681 00:37:37,000 --> 00:37:42,040 Speaker 3: small agency and drops me. So now I'm confronted with 682 00:37:42,480 --> 00:37:47,400 Speaker 3: two different realities, right, And I had to make a 683 00:37:47,520 --> 00:37:52,800 Speaker 3: choice what voice am I going to believe? Whose report 684 00:37:52,880 --> 00:37:56,000 Speaker 3: am I going to believe? And I chose to believe 685 00:37:56,680 --> 00:38:00,160 Speaker 3: I'm a star. I'm going to Hollywood. God has a. 686 00:38:00,200 --> 00:38:00,719 Speaker 2: Plan for me. 687 00:38:01,200 --> 00:38:03,800 Speaker 3: I don't exactly know what it looks like. But God, 688 00:38:03,920 --> 00:38:06,719 Speaker 3: if you're sending me to Hollywood, I'm open to go. 689 00:38:07,160 --> 00:38:09,719 Speaker 3: I just need you to My prayer was I need 690 00:38:09,760 --> 00:38:12,560 Speaker 3: you to open the door. That was my prayer. I'm 691 00:38:12,600 --> 00:38:16,319 Speaker 3: willing I surrender. I hear you. I don't know how 692 00:38:16,360 --> 00:38:18,560 Speaker 3: to do that by myself. I need you to open 693 00:38:18,600 --> 00:38:24,759 Speaker 3: the door. The instruction that I received was to go. 694 00:38:24,960 --> 00:38:27,440 Speaker 3: And this is again, I'm not living a fabulous life, right. 695 00:38:27,480 --> 00:38:29,680 Speaker 3: I don't have a car, I don't have a get 696 00:38:29,680 --> 00:38:32,160 Speaker 3: on the bus, get on the train, walk across town 697 00:38:32,640 --> 00:38:35,520 Speaker 3: to a Bible study. What does that have to do 698 00:38:35,600 --> 00:38:39,640 Speaker 3: with an open door? Nothing? But I do it. Follow 699 00:38:39,680 --> 00:38:42,720 Speaker 3: the instruction. Pray over a woman that's there, and turns 700 00:38:42,719 --> 00:38:47,839 Speaker 3: out that this is a big, big creator, big writer, producer. 701 00:38:48,200 --> 00:38:48,920 Speaker 2: Did not know. 702 00:38:51,080 --> 00:38:56,000 Speaker 3: I'm just praying over her. She's crying. Finally we exchange names. 703 00:38:56,080 --> 00:38:58,560 Speaker 3: I recognized her name and was like, wait, are you 704 00:38:58,880 --> 00:39:01,640 Speaker 3: are you? Are you a writer? Did you create this show? 705 00:39:01,880 --> 00:39:03,600 Speaker 3: I said, I've been trying for three months to get 706 00:39:03,640 --> 00:39:07,680 Speaker 3: an audition for your show. She said no, really, and 707 00:39:07,719 --> 00:39:12,319 Speaker 3: that's the show that brought me to Hollywood. That's the 708 00:39:12,320 --> 00:39:14,840 Speaker 3: show that brought me to Hollywood because I was willing 709 00:39:14,920 --> 00:39:18,080 Speaker 3: to do at church, to step out on fact. You know. 710 00:39:18,239 --> 00:39:20,759 Speaker 3: So it's like I for three but I will tell 711 00:39:20,760 --> 00:39:24,560 Speaker 3: you for three months, I did literally everything in my 712 00:39:24,800 --> 00:39:28,240 Speaker 3: power to try to be cast on that one show. 713 00:39:29,600 --> 00:39:32,680 Speaker 3: I never even got an audition. I mean I called, 714 00:39:32,960 --> 00:39:36,279 Speaker 3: I texted, I emailed, I physically mailed. I went to 715 00:39:36,360 --> 00:39:40,359 Speaker 3: the post office and mailed materials to them. I did 716 00:39:40,560 --> 00:39:43,759 Speaker 3: everything I could think of for that one show. But 717 00:39:43,840 --> 00:39:46,759 Speaker 3: yet I hear I get these spiritual instructions to do 718 00:39:46,800 --> 00:39:50,399 Speaker 3: something that seems so you know, far fetched, like why 719 00:39:50,400 --> 00:39:53,520 Speaker 3: would I do that? And then it backed me directly 720 00:39:53,600 --> 00:39:56,320 Speaker 3: into what I had been struggling to do the whole time. 721 00:39:57,719 --> 00:40:01,440 Speaker 1: You couldn't be describing more the experience of trying to 722 00:40:01,480 --> 00:40:05,360 Speaker 1: find like trying to be like a senior mid to 723 00:40:05,840 --> 00:40:09,120 Speaker 1: senior level you know, career woman today, woman of color, 724 00:40:09,160 --> 00:40:12,160 Speaker 1: and like trying to find work because it is so 725 00:40:12,560 --> 00:40:16,040 Speaker 1: hard just to break through because a lot of these 726 00:40:16,120 --> 00:40:19,600 Speaker 1: big companies, the dream jobs they're not hiring. They're so competitive. 727 00:40:19,640 --> 00:40:22,480 Speaker 1: They post the job even though they've already promised it 728 00:40:22,520 --> 00:40:25,120 Speaker 1: to an internal candidate, like and it can. 729 00:40:25,000 --> 00:40:27,359 Speaker 2: Feel like you're doing everything right. You got the right, 730 00:40:27,640 --> 00:40:28,839 Speaker 2: you've got the coach, you got the. 731 00:40:28,800 --> 00:40:31,200 Speaker 1: Cover letter, you got your you got your all your 732 00:40:31,239 --> 00:40:34,160 Speaker 1: skills on paper, you're doing your on LinkedIn, You're doing 733 00:40:34,200 --> 00:40:34,520 Speaker 1: the thing. 734 00:40:35,400 --> 00:40:37,239 Speaker 2: But that secret like. 735 00:40:37,160 --> 00:40:41,000 Speaker 1: That, that going a little bit, you know, to the 736 00:40:41,440 --> 00:40:44,400 Speaker 1: in a different direction, following a little path, a little 737 00:40:44,440 --> 00:40:47,960 Speaker 1: side quest. I love that so much because it really is. 738 00:40:49,719 --> 00:40:52,400 Speaker 1: It's the power of going a little bit off the 739 00:40:52,440 --> 00:40:55,360 Speaker 1: beaten trail and just letting a little bit of opportunity, 740 00:40:55,880 --> 00:40:59,239 Speaker 1: you know, not not luck, but chance, like you know, 741 00:40:59,400 --> 00:41:02,000 Speaker 1: lead you and trust and faith and the unknown. That 742 00:41:02,160 --> 00:41:04,240 Speaker 1: just like going off a little bit. It's hard to articulate. 743 00:41:04,280 --> 00:41:05,719 Speaker 1: You do a beautiful job in the book. That's why 744 00:41:05,760 --> 00:41:06,400 Speaker 1: you've wrote it, not me. 745 00:41:08,640 --> 00:41:11,239 Speaker 3: I mean, listen, That's why chapter five is called the 746 00:41:11,360 --> 00:41:16,040 Speaker 3: secret power of hearing God's voice, because God can can 747 00:41:16,160 --> 00:41:18,279 Speaker 3: lead you in a way that you would not. You know, 748 00:41:18,440 --> 00:41:21,480 Speaker 3: everybody's going this way, everybody's on LinkedIn, everybody's on this, 749 00:41:21,520 --> 00:41:24,440 Speaker 3: everybody's on that, everybody's networking. Everybody's doing all the things 750 00:41:24,719 --> 00:41:26,799 Speaker 3: that we know how to do, and we can do 751 00:41:26,840 --> 00:41:30,320 Speaker 3: them with our eyes closed. But you know, one of 752 00:41:30,320 --> 00:41:32,320 Speaker 3: the one of the kind of business strategies my husband 753 00:41:32,320 --> 00:41:33,960 Speaker 3: likes to say is when when when you zig, you 754 00:41:34,000 --> 00:41:36,040 Speaker 3: know when they zig, you zag right, but you may 755 00:41:36,080 --> 00:41:38,640 Speaker 3: not even know, like well, where's the zag? Where's the zag? 756 00:41:39,280 --> 00:41:43,920 Speaker 3: But God can call you? Ay, yeah, like like you know. So, 757 00:41:43,920 --> 00:41:46,400 Speaker 3: so we were doing all the things we know how 758 00:41:46,440 --> 00:41:49,200 Speaker 3: to do. But that's why I call this manifesting your 759 00:41:49,280 --> 00:41:51,480 Speaker 3: God dream. The world is waiting for you. Embrace your calling, 760 00:41:51,560 --> 00:41:55,120 Speaker 3: manifest your goddream because if you're just trying to manifest 761 00:41:55,120 --> 00:41:59,479 Speaker 3: your own dream, then you're limited by whatever outcome you 762 00:41:59,480 --> 00:42:03,719 Speaker 3: yourself can manifest. But if you're partnering with God to 763 00:42:03,840 --> 00:42:08,040 Speaker 3: manifest a God dream, which is higher, then you have help. 764 00:42:08,960 --> 00:42:12,319 Speaker 3: I listen when when my show and owned ended, if 765 00:42:12,360 --> 00:42:15,960 Speaker 3: loving you is wrong? I was pregnant. I felt this 766 00:42:16,120 --> 00:42:18,200 Speaker 3: internal clock of like, okay, I need another job. I 767 00:42:18,239 --> 00:42:20,919 Speaker 3: need another job, and I had a time frame because 768 00:42:20,920 --> 00:42:24,040 Speaker 3: I'm like, I'm having this baby by May, so somewhere 769 00:42:24,120 --> 00:42:27,000 Speaker 3: in here before May, I need my next job. Well, 770 00:42:27,040 --> 00:42:29,200 Speaker 3: for months and months and months, I tried and tried 771 00:42:29,239 --> 00:42:30,520 Speaker 3: and try. It was not working. 772 00:42:31,000 --> 00:42:31,160 Speaker 2: Well. 773 00:42:31,160 --> 00:42:33,960 Speaker 3: While I'm pregnant. You know, my husband received, we're gonna 774 00:42:34,040 --> 00:42:36,279 Speaker 3: name our baby Brooklyn because We met in Brooklyn, got 775 00:42:36,280 --> 00:42:39,399 Speaker 3: married in Brooklyn. My husband says, God is saying, name 776 00:42:39,400 --> 00:42:42,680 Speaker 3: our baby London, London. Why will we name the baby London. 777 00:42:43,800 --> 00:42:47,200 Speaker 3: God is saying, Brooklyn is our past, London is our future. 778 00:42:47,239 --> 00:42:49,719 Speaker 3: He's gonna open the door for us in London. By faith, 779 00:42:49,719 --> 00:42:54,400 Speaker 3: we're supposed to name our baby London Joy. By faith, 780 00:42:54,440 --> 00:42:56,839 Speaker 3: we name the baby London Joy. Do you know when 781 00:42:56,920 --> 00:43:00,760 Speaker 3: London Joy is four months old, I received a huge 782 00:43:00,880 --> 00:43:06,200 Speaker 3: contract to move our entire family to London to begin 783 00:43:06,480 --> 00:43:11,160 Speaker 3: a whole new television series. My children had British accent. 784 00:43:11,440 --> 00:43:13,800 Speaker 3: You know, it's like this whole the world is waiting 785 00:43:13,840 --> 00:43:17,240 Speaker 3: for you. The world opened up for us, not because 786 00:43:17,239 --> 00:43:19,239 Speaker 3: of all the things, you know, It's like, yes, you 787 00:43:19,320 --> 00:43:22,080 Speaker 3: lay that groundwork of the work right, Like that's the groundwork, 788 00:43:22,120 --> 00:43:27,600 Speaker 3: that's the seed. But sometimes the harvest, sometimes the manifestation 789 00:43:28,640 --> 00:43:33,040 Speaker 3: is spiritual, and sometimes the instruction is simple. Sometimes the 790 00:43:33,080 --> 00:43:36,400 Speaker 3: instruction is more simple than we think that will open 791 00:43:36,440 --> 00:43:39,160 Speaker 3: the door even wider than we dreamed. 792 00:43:41,520 --> 00:43:44,600 Speaker 1: I keep thinking, as you're speaking of how much we 793 00:43:44,680 --> 00:43:49,160 Speaker 1: need to turn off social media and just let our 794 00:43:49,239 --> 00:43:54,359 Speaker 1: own intuition, our own well, our own intuition. And then 795 00:43:54,400 --> 00:43:57,080 Speaker 1: also God or whatever someone else would call it the universe. 796 00:43:57,080 --> 00:44:00,759 Speaker 1: But let that spiritual energy come in because it is 797 00:44:01,120 --> 00:44:04,000 Speaker 1: all we need. Sometimes we don't need the noise or 798 00:44:04,000 --> 00:44:05,879 Speaker 1: to see what everyone else is doing. And I think 799 00:44:05,880 --> 00:44:09,480 Speaker 1: about man and this, like especially during the pandemic and 800 00:44:09,520 --> 00:44:11,960 Speaker 1: this finance world, it was like all the crypto bros. 801 00:44:12,239 --> 00:44:15,360 Speaker 1: And like, you know, should I get a trucking company? 802 00:44:15,480 --> 00:44:17,400 Speaker 1: Should I get should I do drop shipping? 803 00:44:17,520 --> 00:44:18,120 Speaker 2: Do I need? 804 00:44:18,520 --> 00:44:21,000 Speaker 1: You know, do I need to start an online business? 805 00:44:21,040 --> 00:44:22,880 Speaker 1: And all this stuff because everyone was doing an online 806 00:44:22,960 --> 00:44:24,239 Speaker 1: or I want to be an influencer, I want to 807 00:44:24,280 --> 00:44:25,759 Speaker 1: do makeup tutorials, blah blah blah. 808 00:44:25,760 --> 00:44:28,879 Speaker 2: No shade, but we're kind of looking. 809 00:44:28,560 --> 00:44:30,640 Speaker 1: To these We're looking to social media, and that's like 810 00:44:30,719 --> 00:44:34,640 Speaker 1: the limit of our dream are our own expectations for ourselves, 811 00:44:34,680 --> 00:44:36,719 Speaker 1: Like if you see it, you can dream it. But 812 00:44:36,760 --> 00:44:40,040 Speaker 1: I think we're seeing so much outside noise, which is making, 813 00:44:40,920 --> 00:44:44,560 Speaker 1: you know, making a lot of us pivot in directions 814 00:44:44,600 --> 00:44:46,200 Speaker 1: just based on what we're seeing, like, oh, maybe I 815 00:44:46,200 --> 00:44:47,920 Speaker 1: should be doing that, Maybe I should be doing this 816 00:44:48,480 --> 00:44:51,880 Speaker 1: instead of just like turning everything off and just bringing 817 00:44:51,880 --> 00:44:54,360 Speaker 1: it back to basics, like you have, you know, a journal, 818 00:44:54,840 --> 00:44:58,720 Speaker 1: some deep thinking and just like almost like open hands, 819 00:44:59,040 --> 00:45:03,160 Speaker 1: open ears, eyes to like what the possibility could be 820 00:45:03,719 --> 00:45:06,920 Speaker 1: from the higher power that voice. 821 00:45:07,320 --> 00:45:09,319 Speaker 3: I mean, that's that's what it's all about, you know. 822 00:45:09,360 --> 00:45:11,319 Speaker 3: That's what this book is all about. The world is 823 00:45:11,360 --> 00:45:14,080 Speaker 3: waiting for you. No matter what your circumstances are in 824 00:45:14,120 --> 00:45:18,440 Speaker 3: life right now. You must believe that. You must believe 825 00:45:18,480 --> 00:45:21,600 Speaker 3: that the world is opening up for you in new ways, 826 00:45:22,160 --> 00:45:26,440 Speaker 3: is calling you forward, and you're this is just a season. 827 00:45:26,800 --> 00:45:29,520 Speaker 3: It's just a season. And that's the thing. You know, 828 00:45:29,520 --> 00:45:32,000 Speaker 3: when I talk about the waiting season, it can feel 829 00:45:32,000 --> 00:45:33,719 Speaker 3: long when you're in the middle of it because I 830 00:45:33,760 --> 00:45:35,239 Speaker 3: don't know when it's going to end. 831 00:45:35,719 --> 00:45:39,640 Speaker 2: But the tears is that long time, you know. 832 00:45:41,600 --> 00:45:44,239 Speaker 3: But that's the thing. But I was still sustained, you 833 00:45:44,239 --> 00:45:46,200 Speaker 3: know what I mean. It's like you don't always know. 834 00:45:46,280 --> 00:45:50,160 Speaker 3: Sometimes it's it's it's spiritual, like you don't know how 835 00:45:50,280 --> 00:45:52,040 Speaker 3: how did I get through that month? And how did 836 00:45:52,040 --> 00:45:53,880 Speaker 3: I get through the next month? You know, And then 837 00:45:53,920 --> 00:45:56,680 Speaker 3: you turn around and look like, wow, you know what, 838 00:45:56,719 --> 00:45:59,160 Speaker 3: I got so much out of that season. It felt 839 00:45:59,200 --> 00:46:01,759 Speaker 3: so painful, But you get to the end of it 840 00:46:01,840 --> 00:46:05,080 Speaker 3: and it's like, wow, I wouldn't be who I am 841 00:46:05,560 --> 00:46:08,400 Speaker 3: without the season I came out of. I would not 842 00:46:08,560 --> 00:46:13,920 Speaker 3: have the book that I have without that season. So 843 00:46:14,040 --> 00:46:18,680 Speaker 3: it's all working together for our good. It's all working 844 00:46:18,840 --> 00:46:22,239 Speaker 3: together for our good, and if we can just hold on, 845 00:46:24,120 --> 00:46:28,799 Speaker 3: we will see the manifestation of our god dream, of 846 00:46:28,880 --> 00:46:36,880 Speaker 3: our abundant life on the other side. 847 00:46:34,200 --> 00:46:36,160 Speaker 1: And on that journey. I think it's so important to 848 00:46:36,160 --> 00:46:38,319 Speaker 1: have voices like yours in the mix and just know 849 00:46:38,440 --> 00:46:42,080 Speaker 1: that you don't always have to be your like even 850 00:46:42,120 --> 00:46:43,920 Speaker 1: there's times when you have doubt, you don't always have 851 00:46:43,960 --> 00:46:46,920 Speaker 1: to be your own voice of inspiration. You need to 852 00:46:47,000 --> 00:46:50,000 Speaker 1: surround yourself by people who can lift you up and 853 00:46:50,040 --> 00:46:52,560 Speaker 1: remind you, you know, of that positive And so you 854 00:46:52,600 --> 00:46:54,719 Speaker 1: mentioned a couple of ways to connect with you and 855 00:46:55,040 --> 00:46:57,240 Speaker 1: join your community. Do you want to talk about that briefly? 856 00:46:57,360 --> 00:46:59,960 Speaker 1: Just around sure everyone comes? 857 00:47:00,160 --> 00:47:03,760 Speaker 3: Is it? The world is waiting dot Org. There there's 858 00:47:03,800 --> 00:47:06,319 Speaker 3: a page called the God Dreamers Academy, and it's for 859 00:47:06,400 --> 00:47:10,520 Speaker 3: anyone who's like, listen, I want to dream much bigger 860 00:47:10,880 --> 00:47:13,320 Speaker 3: than I have been. I need to take the limits 861 00:47:13,400 --> 00:47:17,319 Speaker 3: off of my vision of my imagination, you know. And 862 00:47:17,360 --> 00:47:21,160 Speaker 3: there are things in life that I am looking to manifest, 863 00:47:21,200 --> 00:47:24,279 Speaker 3: to bring into fruition. But I feel, like, you know, 864 00:47:24,360 --> 00:47:26,319 Speaker 3: after reading the book, like I would love to be 865 00:47:26,360 --> 00:47:30,520 Speaker 3: a part of a community. Come join us, Come join us. 866 00:47:30,560 --> 00:47:34,440 Speaker 3: Abundant Life University is really all about that, right, is 867 00:47:34,800 --> 00:47:40,640 Speaker 3: about people experiencing prosperity in each level of life. There's 868 00:47:40,760 --> 00:47:43,799 Speaker 3: a contact me page. You can contact me on that 869 00:47:43,840 --> 00:47:47,000 Speaker 3: website as well as you can follow me on social media. 870 00:47:47,480 --> 00:47:52,440 Speaker 3: I'm active on Instagram at Edwina Finley. Come on, the 871 00:47:52,480 --> 00:47:54,799 Speaker 3: more the merrier, This is a great journey, and of 872 00:47:54,840 --> 00:47:57,600 Speaker 3: course pick up the book right like, there's so many 873 00:47:57,680 --> 00:47:59,960 Speaker 3: gems and the world is waiting fetching on YouTube. 874 00:48:00,080 --> 00:48:01,919 Speaker 1: Here it is, which I hope you are so glad 875 00:48:01,960 --> 00:48:02,680 Speaker 1: of a shine. 876 00:48:04,280 --> 00:48:07,600 Speaker 3: I got that goal to remind that gold, to remind 877 00:48:07,600 --> 00:48:08,680 Speaker 3: you of your royalty. 878 00:48:08,760 --> 00:48:10,040 Speaker 1: Ever we knew it was going to be a best 879 00:48:10,280 --> 00:48:14,239 Speaker 1: they said, spring for the gold, given the shine, We 880 00:48:14,320 --> 00:48:14,920 Speaker 1: got the budget. 881 00:48:15,239 --> 00:48:18,279 Speaker 3: We need reminders, even visual reminders. We need reminders of 882 00:48:18,320 --> 00:48:21,560 Speaker 3: our royalty, you know, and who were called to be 883 00:48:21,640 --> 00:48:22,320 Speaker 3: in this world. 884 00:48:23,840 --> 00:48:26,440 Speaker 1: Well, thank you so much for sharing your positive message 885 00:48:26,560 --> 00:48:29,839 Speaker 1: and your story with Brown Ambition. I'm going to put 886 00:48:29,880 --> 00:48:31,680 Speaker 1: all the links. Don't know we got you bea family. 887 00:48:31,680 --> 00:48:34,040 Speaker 1: Put all the links to Edwina's work and where you 888 00:48:34,080 --> 00:48:38,319 Speaker 1: can find the Abundance, the Abundant University and all your 889 00:48:38,360 --> 00:48:41,480 Speaker 1: other great initiatives in our show notes. Please go check 890 00:48:41,520 --> 00:48:44,480 Speaker 1: them out. And can I just say I'm so pissed 891 00:48:44,520 --> 00:48:45,760 Speaker 1: that they canceled the Residence. 892 00:48:45,800 --> 00:48:47,040 Speaker 2: That was such a good show. 893 00:48:47,800 --> 00:48:50,640 Speaker 1: And I'm sure it's the bigger plan, but damn, that was. 894 00:48:50,640 --> 00:48:52,200 Speaker 2: Such a good show. I'm so glad it exists. 895 00:48:52,280 --> 00:48:55,839 Speaker 1: But you were brilliant as you were. Thank you with 896 00:48:55,880 --> 00:49:02,600 Speaker 1: that amazing asymmetrical bob like listen. Yeah, I appreciate your 897 00:49:02,640 --> 00:49:05,120 Speaker 1: time and thank you so so much. You take care 898 00:49:05,239 --> 00:49:09,960 Speaker 1: and best of luck with everything. Okay va fam, thank 899 00:49:09,960 --> 00:49:12,279 Speaker 1: you so much for listening to this week's show. I 900 00:49:12,320 --> 00:49:17,080 Speaker 1: want to shout out to our production team, Courtney, our editor, Carla, 901 00:49:17,239 --> 00:49:21,200 Speaker 1: our fearless leader for idea to launch productions. I want 902 00:49:21,239 --> 00:49:25,480 Speaker 1: to shout out my assistant Lauda Escalante and Cameron McNair 903 00:49:25,920 --> 00:49:28,200 Speaker 1: for helping me put the show together. It is not 904 00:49:28,600 --> 00:49:31,960 Speaker 1: a one person project, as much as I have tried 905 00:49:32,000 --> 00:49:35,560 Speaker 1: to make it so these past ten years, I need help, y'all, 906 00:49:35,920 --> 00:49:38,160 Speaker 1: and thank goodness I've been able to put this team 907 00:49:38,280 --> 00:49:41,080 Speaker 1: around me to support me on this journey and to 908 00:49:41,200 --> 00:49:43,640 Speaker 1: y'all be a fam I love you so so so 909 00:49:43,640 --> 00:49:47,160 Speaker 1: so much. Please rate, review, subscribe, Make sure you sign 910 00:49:47,239 --> 00:49:49,640 Speaker 1: up to the newsletter to get all the latest updates 911 00:49:49,680 --> 00:49:54,320 Speaker 1: on upcoming episodes, our tenth year anniversary celebrations to come, 912 00:49:54,920 --> 00:49:58,000 Speaker 1: and until next time, talk to you soon. Via Guy