Photo Cred: Hannah Skewes
THE SOUL STORIES PODCAST
Conversations for Healing and Change
The Soul Stories Podcast is hosted by Danny Mazur and produced by Kamga Tchassa (both pictured above). In season 4, we are dealing with the our current cultural reckoning and asking the question, is change possible?
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-soul-stories-podcast/id1462608010
Episode 1:
Leaving a Mark, Instead of Just Scars
Hassan Latif is the Founder and Executive Director of the Second Chance Center. The Second Chance Center is dedicated to helping the formerly incarcerated successfully transition into society with proper education, support and resources. Hassan actually spent 18 years in prison himself before becoming the role model he is now. In this episode he recounts his early days of choosing life on the streets in Brooklyn, New York, growing up in segregated America, and the incredible transformation he underwent to becoming the leader so many know and love. You are in for a treat. Hassan is an incredibly engaging storyteller and I'm excited for you to listen. Here's our conversation!
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Consider supporting The Soul Stories Podcast at Patreon.com/soulstoriesdenver or sending a small donation to our Venmo account @SoulStories!
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2:00 - Thoughts plus feelings equals behavior
6:52 - Growing up in a hostile and segregated New York City
12:22 - Shakespeare, intelligence and racism
20:57 - Healing wounds and owning our crap
24:36 - The first 15 years of incarceration
27:45 - A young black man under siege in America
33:45 - The system is operating exactly as it was designed
42:00 - Cleaning up our lenses to see life differently
46:58 - Finding commonality and compassion through trauma
52:01 - Making things right in America
56:10 - Hassan's transformational moment in prison
108:00 - Never going back, a commitment to change
1:17:25 - Leaving a mark instead of just scars
Episode 2:
The House That Love Built
Sarah Jackson is the Founder and Executive Director of Casa De Paz. Casa De Paz's mission is to reunite families separated by immigrant detention, one simple act of love at a time. Sarah's journey is truly unbelievable and she recounts it in her new book "The House That Love Built". I read it and absolutely loved it. I was shocked by how I really didn't want to put it down. In this episode, we talk about the uncomfortable journey she had to go through to discover her life's purpose, the continuing barriers that immigrant families face and so much more. This is a super fun and in-depth conversation where Sarah's passion, empathy, and ability to introspect shines.
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Find more out about Sarah's organization at
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Consider supporting The Soul Stories Podcast at Patreon.com/soulstoriesdenver or sending a small donation to our Venmo account @SoulStories!
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2:13 - Casa de Paz during the pandemic
6:27 - Oliver's story
13:40 - How Sarah's journey started
21:00 - Believing in a God of abundance instead of a God of scarcity
30:25 - "Where your greatest joy meets the world's greatest need"
37:35 - Family and connection at Casa De Paz
43:15 - Challenging an oppressive system through dialogue and education
48:00 - Creating a bridge to conservative Christianity
52:07 - Hospitality homes in America
55:30 - Creating a human connection with those who have experienced brutal oppression
59:46 - Agustin's Story
107:30 - Would I want this to happen to my family?
1:11:54 - Can we love others without loving ourselves?
1:18:50 - Empathy and laughing at our shortcomings
1:23:45 - Appreciation to co-author Scott Sawyer
Episode 3:
Cultivating Resilience
Bubba Peace, formerly Shaun Don ThA TRUTH, is a Father, Partner, Artist, and Poet. He is an extremely reflective and spiritual soul who seems to be wise beyond his years. This conversation is a meditation on transformation, growth and the ills of the world. He offers so much perspective on how sometimes change starts by first taking an honest look at our own lives. Bubba Peace exemplifies compassion and vulnerability in this thoughtful conversation. Enjoy this episode!
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Check out his music here!
Instagram: @Bubba_Peace
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Consider supporting The Soul Stories Podcast at Patreon.com/soulstoriesdenver or sending a small donation to our Venmo account @SoulStories!
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2:03 - Bubba Peace's family background
5:44 - Music and poetry as self-reflection
9:37 - Masculinity as an expression of wholeness
12:50 - How having a daughter changed his life
15:31 - Bubba Peace's big dreams
17:29 - Understanding the roots of police brutality
21:05 - Returning to who we are
24:50 - "Black Community Matters"
29:25 - Re-validating the Black man's worth by validating the Black woman's worth
34:55 - "Post Traumatic Slave Syndrome"
41:35 - Developing his message through the arts
45:00 - Cultivating resilient voices in the world
47:08 - Presence with God's endless energy
52:28 - "Loving people for who they are, not what I want them to become"
59:12 - "Love life to the fullest"
1:04:40 - Mama Jah
Episode 4:
How Violin Vigils for Elijah McClain Spread Nationally
A special episode of The Soul Stories Podcast styled a la "This American Life". We explore how a peaceful protest turned violent sparked a national movement.
In this episode, we speak with the McClain family and Grammy nominated violinists, Lee England Jr. and Ashanti Floyd as well as mom who attended the protests.
Production by Journalist, Chris Walker
Episode 5:
The Nuances of Immigration
Olufemi Nassi is an author, poet, and host of The In-Betweeners Podcast. Kamga Tchassa is a poet, writer, and multi-format content creator. In this special three-way conversation, Femi and Kamga share the nuances, complexities and challenges that come with immigrating to America. It's one of those conversations that will open your eyes and expand your perspective. I had a lot of fun in this conversation and I think you will thoroughly enjoy it. Here is our episode
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For more from Femi:
Her book, Ji Sokee: https://www.amazon.com/Ji-Sokee-Awakening-Femi-Nassi/dp/2376120241
The Inbetweeners Podcast: Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1vigv4LkTBCUuDYx06Oy9z iTunes: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-in-betweeners-podcast/id1504104900
Instagram: https://instagram.com/femiche_
Website: https://feminassi.com/
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For more from Kamga:
Youtube channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/tchassakamga Medium : https://medium.com/@tchassakamga
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Consider supporting The Soul Stories Podcast at Patreon.com/soulstoriesdenver or sending a small donation to our Venmo account @SoulStories!
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6:56 - Femi's introduction to the U.S.
11:34 - Kamga's introduction to the U.S.
16:54 - Adjusting to an Individualistic culture
23:29 - American racism from an African's perspactive
27:28 - Having to constantly explain their identities
34:30 - The expectations and assumptions of family back home
37:38 - Discovering their own identities
42:10 - Mental health and understanding loneliness
50:28 - The dark side of African collectivism
58:43 - Self-expression and making an impact through writing
105:48 - What's next for Kamga and Femi
1:14:08 - How to find their creative work