Words Beats & Life Podcasts

Something to Say (4-16-2024)

In this episode Mazi Mutafa dives deep with Monica Sanders, Founder of The Undivide Project.They discuss Monica's path to becoming a lawyer, witnessing Hurricane Katrina, and her mission to bridge divides in D.C.

 

Patrick Washington chats with 2023 D.C. Youth Poet Laureate, Sophia Hall and later to 2023 PG County YPL, Precious Foreman. Mazi returns to speak with Maureen L. Dwyer, Executive Director of the Sitar Arts Center.

 

Thanks for listening! Stay tuned for another episode of "Something to Say."

Something to Say (04-02-2024)

Host Mazi Mutafa interviews Kelvin Lyons, a Towards 2040 Fellow, about his family, podcast, mentors, leadership through the arts, and the fellowship itself.

Mazi then chats with Ravish Momin, D.A. Mekonnen, and Kamyar Arsani. They share music, discuss collaborations,artistic journeys, and play some of their work.

Co-host Patrick Washington takes over to interview 2024 Arlington County Youth Poet Laureate, Mia Dimina. They delve into her relationship with poetry, and she shares her poem "A Fox."

Mazi rejoins the conversation with the previous musicians and welcomes new guest Amirah Sackett. Together, they explore the concept of labels in art, Amirah's work, her path to dance, upcoming shows, and the intersection of Art and Islam.

Mazi dives deeper with Amirah alone, discussing her artistic journey and self-expression through art.

Patrick returns to interview Amasa Maleski. They discuss her upcoming book, and she shares her poem "Lightening Bugs."

To wrap up, Mazi speaks with Dr. Lowe of the Office of Out of School Time Grants. They explore the importance of the office, Summer in the City programs, and the future of after-school programming.

Something to Say (3-26-2024)

In this episode of the “Something to Say” podcast, our host Mazi Mutafa interviews Taylor Matthews. They discuss Taylor's family history, her journey as an artist, her college experience, choreo poems, and the Day Breaks community.

Next, Mazi introduces the new Youth Poet Laureates of Montgomery County, Arlington County, and Washington D.C. First, we hear from Tara Prakash of Montgomery County. Following that, our co-host Donney Rose joins us for a discussion on the Youth Poet Laureate poems. Afterward, we hear from Arlington County’s Youth Poet Laureate, Mia Dimina.

Later, our other co-host, Patrick Washington, speaks with Washington D.C.’s Youth Poet Laureate, Isaac Yebio. They discuss Isaac’s personal journey with poetry, and Isaac shares his poem “Prometheus Perennial.”

Following this, Mazi talks to Chitra Subramanian about her family, how she started dancing, her introduction to different forms of dance, starting a career in the arts, the Towards 2040 fellowship, her upcoming events, and advice for creatives.

To finish the episode, we hear once more from co-host Patrick Washington, who speaks with the 2024 Montgomery County Youth Poet Laureate, Tara Prakash. They discuss Tara’s love for poetry, and she shares her poem titled “On Erosion.”

Tune in next week for another episode of the “Something to Say” podcast!

Something to Say (03-19-2024)

Our host, Mazi, welcomes Reem Bassous, the Artistic Director and Head of Faculty at the Washington Studio School. Their conversation explores Reem's educational background, her journey as an artist, her role at the Washington Studio School, and her experiences in teaching art.

Next up, co-host Patrick Washington takes the stage. He interviews Tara Prakash, the 2024 Montgomery County Youth Poet Laureate. Tara sheds light on her inspirations and shares her poem, "On Erosion." Following that, Patrick sits down with Saniya Pearson, the 2024 Youth Poet Laureate for Prince George's County. Their conversation delves into Saniya's use of poetry for advocacy, and she shares her poem, "I Am."

Later, Mazi engages in a conversation with poet and community advocate Nkechi Feaster. They explore Nkechi's advocacy work, her upbringing, the impact of gentrification on communities, and The Diversity Fund.

We wrap up the show with co-host Donney Rose, who provides a rundown of exciting upcoming programs on WBL.

Thanks for joining us! Don't miss the next episode of "Something to Say" next week!

Something to Say (03-12-2024)

Host Mazi Mutafa dives into the world of cultural production with Asad Ali Jafri. They discuss Listening While Muslim, the Space Shift Collective, Asad's work with Words Beats and Life, and the Towards 2040 fellowship.

Next, Mazi chats with 2040 Fellow Neverless about her journey to the U.S., building her dance studio, and the power of dance to build confidence.

Co-host Patrick Washington takes the mic for a conversation with 2021 Arlington Youth Poet Laureate Amasa Maleski about activism, followed by a powerful reading of Amasa's poem "I Miss Y'all." Patrick then speaks with 2024 D.C.Youth Poet Laureate Isaac Yebio, who shares his poem "Turning Blue."

Mazi rejoins with co-host Donney Rose, who kicks things off with a poem reading and upcoming event announcements.

Mazi then sits down with rising New Jersey artist Deon Davis. They discuss Deon's family, his college experience, the education system, fostering creativity in young minds, his upcoming book, the power of writing, and the importance of faith.

Something to Say (03-05-2024)

In this episode of the Something to Say podcast, our host, Mazi Mutafa, engages in enlightening conversations with a lineup of inspiring guests.

First up is Poet and academy director, Donney Rose, delving into upcoming events and the Youth Poet Laureate Program.

Following that, Mazi chats with Megan Truman from Think Like a Boss, exploring her journey from upbringing to entrepreneurship, community building, academic pursuits including a stint in South Africa, and crafting a career in the arts.

Then, our co-host Patrick Washington sits down with Arlington County's 2023 Youth Poet Laureate, Ribka Desta. They unravel Ribka's poetic odyssey, accompanied by her poignant piece titled "Immortal" and the driving force behind its creation.

Continuing the poetic journey, Patrick speaks with the 2024 DC Youth Poet Laureate, Isaac Yebio. Together, they navigate Isaac's personal narrative, intertwined with his evocative poem "Prometheus Perennial" and the genesis of its inspiration.

Wrapping up, Mazi engages Rahaman Kilpatrick in a discussion encompassing family heritage, professional trajectory, the art of DJing, and the impactful initiatives of the Horton’s Kids organization, and teaching hip-hop.

Something to Say (02-27-2024)

In this episode of the Something to Say podcast, our host Mazi Mutafa engages in insightful conversations with distinguished guests. First, Dr. Msia Clark, a respected professor at Howard University, joins Mazi to delve into the significance of hip-hop's 50th anniversary, her ongoing research and trip to South Africa, and the nuanced comparison between Afro-beat and hip-hop. They also explore various styles within hip-hop and touch upon the Hip-Hop African podcast.

Following this, co-host Patrick Washington introduces Youth Poet Laureate Saniya Pearson, who captivates listeners with her poignant poem crafted as part of the Cotton project.

Continuing the poetic journey, Patrick engages Kenny Caroll in a discussion about his evocative piece, "My City," unraveling the layers of inspiration behind its creation.

Next Mazi sits down with DJ Kareem Joseph, aka KERIMtheDJ, to uncover the distinctive elements of his artistic approach, tracing his journey into the world of DJing and offering insights into the dynamic process of crafting music live. Kareem also sheds light on the Towards 2040 fellowship. 

Wrapping up the episode, Jassie Rios joins Mazi to share her artistic genesis, discussing her conceptual approach to drawing and her impactful role as an educator.

Alternative Winter Break Series ft. Jeannine A. Cook

In this episode of the Alt Spring break podcast our host Greg Corbin interviews Jeannine A. Cook. Jeannine is an author, bookstore owner, and non profit leader, among other things. 

 

In this episode Jeannine and Greg discuss the inspiration behind her bookstore, family history, the importance of Harriet Tubman, spirituality, her time as a grant writer, and much much more!

 

Something to Say (2-20-24)

In this episode of "Something to Say," the podcast ventures abroad as our host, Mazi Mutafa, broadcasts from Nepal! Join Mazi as he engages in an enlightening conversation with Professor Jared Ball. Together, they delve into Professor Ball's recent thought-provoking speech at Bucknell University and explore broader themes surrounding Black History Month.

Later on, we're privileged to have co-host Patrick Washington join the discussion. Patrick engages with youth poet laureate Saniya Pearson, who graciously shares one of her recent poems, offering a unique perspective on contemporary issues.

Wrapping up the episode, Mazi connects with Lydia Daniel, an environmental advocate and educator, for an insightful conversation. Following this, Mazi engages in a discussion with Donney Rose about the importance of uplifting young poets and creatives, shedding light on the power of art and expression.

Something to Say (02-13-2024)

In this episode of ‘Something to Say,’ our host, Mazi, interviews Lemuel “Life” LaRoche of Chess and Community. They cover various topics from Killer Mike's recent success at the Grammy’s to chess and robotics. “Life” discusses how he is trying to use chess as a way to increase social bonding amongst youth.

Next up in the episode, Mazi talks with Gabriel Martinez, who is the founder and executive director of The Black Girl Tribe. They discuss the importance of uplifting black women from a young age and how we can better do that.

Our co-host Patrick Washington interviews the 2024 Arlington Youth Poet Laureate, Mia Dimina. Mia shares one of her poems and discusses the inspiration behind it.

To finish the episode, Mazi talks with Kanika Cousine, who is the founder of Journey of a Dreamer Inc. Kanika shares her life story and how it led her to start her organization to help youth find mentors, internships, and follow their dreams.