motivation
motivation
Thursday Feb 15, 2024
040 | What God Does Through You
Thursday Feb 15, 2024
Thursday Feb 15, 2024
"It's not about you. It's about what God does through you." Those are the words of Dr. Ansel Augustine, international speaker, author, and educator. Ministry is Ansel's life, and he joined "For Our Edification" to talk about how his dedication to faith has been an important part of his personal leadership.
While he well-known around his home city of New Orleans for his giving, Ansel also works to balance it all out with self-care. "Preach" candidly discusses how he views himself, how New Orleans is a part of him, and how DEI (diversity, equity, and inclusion) has become part of his work.
About Ansel Augustine
Website: holyhotboy.info
Dedicated to justice and faith, Ansel is an Emmy-nominated producer, award-winning author, speaker, and educator. Among Ansel’s works are the award winning book, Leveling the Praying Field: Can the Church we Love, Love us Back? and The African American Catholic Youth Bible. Known for his youth ministry, Ansel also authored Sunday Prayer for Teens. His documentary “Black Faith Matters” boldly and thoughtfully addressed “one story” of the Black Catholic experience, earning an Emmy nomination. Ansel is also on the faculty of the Institute for Black Catholic Studies at Xavier University of Louisiana, Graduate Theological Foundation, and Loyola University New Orleans’ Institute for Ministry.
Ansel’s career goes back over two decades. He began as the Youth Minister at St. Peter Claver Catholic Church in the famed Tremé neighborhood of New Orleans. Since then, he has led in roles as the New Orleans Area Director for Vagabond Missions, Executive Director of Cultural Diversity and Outreach for the Archdiocese of Washington, and Associate Director/Coordinator of Black Youth & Young Adult Ministry for the CYO Youth & Young Adult Ministry Office. Ansel also served as Campus Minister at Xavier, Loyola, and St. John’s University in Queens, New York.
When Ansel is not fulfilling his duties or writing, he can be found generously volunteering his time and resources. He serves on the Board of Trustees of St. Michael's College (Burlington, Vermont) as well as on the Board of Directors for the Congo Square Preservation Society. Ansel has worked in prison ministry for over 25 years in various capacities, and he has also served on the board of directors for the National Catholic Young Adult Ministry Association (NCYAMA) and the National Federation of Catholic Youth Ministry (NFCYM).
True to his roots, Ansel gleefully sports the moniker “Holy Hot Boy,” paying homage to the soulful, vibrant cultural legacy of his home city, New Orleans. So dedicated is Ansel to the cultural preservation of one of the world’s most beloved cities, that he volunteers with the Mardi Gras Indian Council and Backstreet Cultural Museum. In the aftermath of destruction caused by Hurricane Katrina and a significant loss of city services on the heels of Hurricane Ida, Ansel was one of the boots-on-the-ground volunteers who participated fully in his community’s recovery.
Among Ansel’s long list of honors are: The President’s Volunteer Service Award (LIFETIME), Gambit 40 Under 40, City of New Orleans Millennial Award, Loyola University Black Student Union Outstanding Community Service by an Alumnus Award, Knights of Peter Claver Chicago Archbishop James P. Lyke Image Award, Archdiocese of New Orleans Blessed Frasatti Young Adult Ministry Award, St. John’s University Latin American Student Association Administrator of the Year, St. John’s University Black Student Union Administrator of the Year, and Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. New Orleans Alumnae Chapter Artie Award. Ansel was also inducted into the Mardi Gras Indian Hall of Fame.
Ansel earned his Bachelor of Arts in sociology and his Master of Pastoral Studies from Loyola University New Orleans. He earned his Doctor of Ministry from Graduate Theological Foundation and his Certificate in Youth Ministry from Xavier University of Louisiana's Institute for Black Catholic Studies.
Ansel is a member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc., the Knights of Columbus, the Knights of Peter Claver, and the Wild Tchoupitoulas (Black Masking) Mardi Gras Indians. He is also an Associate Member of the Sisters of the Holy Family in New Orleans.
The views expressed on "For Our Edification" do not reflect the views of any entity with which the hosts or guests are affiliated.
Thursday Feb 01, 2024
039 | Bravo! Fitness!
Thursday Feb 01, 2024
Thursday Feb 01, 2024
Personal trainer Micah "Bravo" Matthews trains more than the body. He goes out of his way to train the mind and the spirit. Set to enjoy a lucrative engineering career, Bravo decided that he wanted more out of life than he felt a lot of his colleagues were getting. That's when he decided to invest in a healthy lifestyle.
In an interview that originally ran in 2018 on the old "Eddie Francis Podcast Show," Bravo talked about his passion for fitness and effects of the physical fitness journey on mental and spiritual fitness.
About Micah "Bravo" Matthews:
Website: www.bravo.fit
Instagram: @_bravo.fit_
TikTok: bravo.fit
YouTube: BravoFit
Facebook: _bravo.fit_
Bravo is a personal fitness trainer and life coach whose practice is based on the principles of "Action, Belief, Consistency, and Discipline." He earned his bachelor's degree in engineering from Louisiana Tech University and began his career in Texas. Not satisfied with his professional direction, Bravo made the leap to begin a new career in an area that brought him the most joy. The New Orleans native continues to work with clients to help them live the best quality of life that they can.
The views expressed on "For Our Edification" do not reflect the views of any entity with which the hosts or guests are affiliated.
Sunday Jan 14, 2024
038 | Your Wellbeing Is Your Voice
Sunday Jan 14, 2024
Sunday Jan 14, 2024
At one point, Kimberly O'Neil was concerned that she would lose her voice, both figuratively and literally. Heavily committed to community work and education, Kim dedicates her life to empowering people to lift their voices to fortify the causes they care about. When her wellbeing was threatened by COVID-19 and workplace bullying, she realized that she had to take care of herself, too. Kim shares personal leadership stories and thoughts to encourage each of us to take care of ourselves so that we can do what we do best.
Eddie also shares candid thoughts about the impact of Antoinette "Bonnie" Candia-Bailey, a university vice president who died by suicide in January of 2024 on the heels of workplace bullying allegations.
Warning: This episode includes comments about self-harm. If you are thinking about suicide, are worried about a friend or loved one, or would like emotional support, the 988 Lifeline network is available 24/7 across the United States.
About this episode's guest, Kimberly O'Neil
Website: justkimonline.com
TED Talk, Your Voice Is Your Currency: https://youtu.be/no_QblQ27h4
A native of Queens, New York, Kim is the CEO and founder of Giving Blueprint and the creator of Cause Studio, a collaborative nonprofit initiative, to provide cost-friendly training and resources that aid the social sector in reducing the number of failing startup nonprofit organizations.
Having grown up with community work, Kim understands that a community’s voice is its currency and must be used in order to affect real change. As an authority in the nonprofit space, she frequently speaks publicly, teaching organizations how to cultivate long-standing relationships and partnerships to support communities.
She is an award-winning professor, executive leader, and social good expert with an impressive list of accomplishments.
She served as the youngest African-American woman city manager in the United States.
Kim is a former veteran senior government and nonprofit executive who has led activities that have generated more than $20 million for community initiatives. She has also mentored organizations to collective revenue-generating activities in excess of $1 million annually since 2015.
She is experienced in negotiating major urban economic development projects and has impacted public policy decisions while lobbying in New York City and on Capitol Hill.
Kim's awards and honors include: the United Way of Metropolitan Dallas award for Social Innovation, a Business Journal Minority Business Leader, the Association of Women Business Owners-DFW Chapter Entrepreneurial Spirit Mentor, Outstanding Associate Faculty of the Year for Collin College, one of Frisco Style Magazine's Faces of Higher Education, and she was featured in Plano Magazine's 2018 Girl Boss issue.
The views expressed on "For Our Edification" do not reflect the views of any entity with which the hosts or guests are affiliated.
Thoughts? Jump into the conversation!
Thursday Sep 21, 2023
037 | Relationship Goals...For Real
Thursday Sep 21, 2023
Thursday Sep 21, 2023
Let's call this a get-to-know-you episode. It was such a pleasure to have Dr. Froswa' Booker-Drew on to talk about her work and what she values most--relationships. A "network weaver," as she calls herself, Froswa' talks about her expertise in social capital, why she's concerned about the lack of connection among generations, how leadership is thwarted by impostor syndrome, and what she has learned about herself through it all. For Froswa', social capital is key to personal, professional and organizational growth. Talk about relationship goals...for real.
Froswa’ runs Soulstice Consultancy, and she’s the co-founder of HERitage Giving Circle (along with Akilah Wallace, who appeared on episode 35, and Halima). Froswa' is also the co-founder of Power in Action-Dallas. She has done a TED Talk and has been quoted/featured in Forbes, Modern Luxury, The Huffington Post, and other media outlets. Froswa' was featured in the documentary “Friendly Captivity” which followed seven women from Dallas to India.
Froswa's website: https://www.drfroswabooker.com/
"Proximity+Presence: Social Capital and Polarization": https://www.ted.com/talks/froswa_booker_drew_proximity_presence_social_capital_and_polarization
The views expressed on "For Our Edification" do not reflect the views of any entity with which the hosts or guests are affiliated.
Monday Jul 24, 2023
032 | Overcoming Obstacles
Monday Jul 24, 2023
Monday Jul 24, 2023
If anybody knows anything about overcoming obstacles, P.J. Dixon does. Here's someone who has lived a chunk of his life in a wheelchair, yet that hasn't stopped him from living life to the fullest as a wheelchair athlete, international traveler, 10th degree black belt, and a martial arts and women’s self-defense instructor. So, how has P.J. done it???
In this energized interview, we go in about overcoming obstacles to strengthen personal leadership. From the power of awareness to dealing with baggage to choosing who we are in the moment to putting accountability in perspective, P.J. covers a lot of emotional ground.
Learn more about P.J. and connect with him at https://www.pjswisdom.com.
The views expressed on "For Our Edification" do not reflect the views of any entity with which the hosts or guests are affiliated.
Wednesday May 24, 2023
028 | No Shame in the Struggle, Part 2
Wednesday May 24, 2023
Wednesday May 24, 2023
Halima and I continue our conversation about how people struggle with shame. This part of the conversation goes deeply into leadership. We tackle how chaos aggravates one's feeling of shame while hiding others' feelings of shame. We also go into how organizational culture plays into individuals' feelings of shame and also how accountability can be weaponized.
So, how do we deal with feeling shame in the struggle? Halima believes that tapping into our creativity could be a great answer.
The views expressed on "For Our Edification" do not reflect the views of any entity with which the hosts or guests are affiliated.
Sunday May 14, 2023
027 | No Shame in the Struggle, Part 1
Sunday May 14, 2023
Sunday May 14, 2023
It's so refreshing to have Halima back on the mic with me! She had something serious on her heart and wanted to share it with the "For Our Edification" audience. Halima wants you to know that there's no shame in the struggle.
She has ever so wise words about the importance of showing up when you're in the middle of the struggle and how she works through moments of struggle, even in her job as an educator. Finally, find out why Halima says it all comes down to your "why." This is part one of pure inspiration.
By the way, part of the inspiration for this episode is our good friend and mental health professional Leslie Brown who appeared on episode 4 to talk about the mental health benefits of giving and episode 12 to give her thoughts (along with Dr. Von Eaglin) about the psychology of fraternity and sorority hazing.
The views expressed on "For Our Edification" do not reflect the views of any entity with which the hosts or guests are affiliated.