I talk politics, Black hair, and microaggressions with Celina Caesar-Chavannes.
Category: Toronto
Words With Michelle – the podcast: How A Small Business Owner Learned To Pivot During The Pandemic
How A Small Business Owner Learned To Pivot During the Pandemic
Words With Michelle – the podcast: Black Men In Media – Jonathan Shaw’s Journey In Radio
I speak with Jonathan Shaw about being a Black man in radio.
Words With Michelle – the podcast: Brandon Hay Talks Fatherhood & Creating The Black Daddies Club
Michelle speaks with Brandon Hay about fatherhood and what led him to create the Black Daddies Club.
Words With Michelle – the podcast: Happy New Year
Happy New Year Message
Words With Michelle – the podcast: Budgeting During A Pandemic
I speak with Financial Rep., Tanika Riley, and she shares tips on how to budget during a pandemic.
Words With Michelle – the podcast: Colourism
I chat with Tracy Peart about colourism: differential treatment based on skin colour.
Words With Michelle – the podcast: Healing Through Wellness Practices
Michelle chats with Jothi Saldanha – a certified Transformational Coach, about the importance of Healing through wellness practices.
Words With Michelle – the podcast: Checking in
Michelle briefly recaps what life has been like over the past 7 months, and checks in with the audience.
Words With Michelle – the podcast: Random Acts of Racism
I speak with 5 guests who share a few of the racist acts that have experienced living in Canada.
Telling Stories Through Food With Grace Cameron
“Food is so bonding, it’s universal – it connects people.” That is how Grace Cameron – the publisher and editor of JamaicanEats Magazine eloquently describes the power of food during our Zoom call in early July. You can safely assume that I wholeheartedly agree with Grace’s statement. Being a foodie, I know first-hand…
Words With Michelle – the podcast: Race and Representation in Art
Zahra Siddiqui speaks about her first solo exhibit – The Invisible Majority and why representation matters.
Words With Michelle – the podcast: Racism in the Medical Field, part 2
In the second part of the “Racism in the medical field”, Dr. O speaks on how Black doctors are affected by systemic racism.
Tanika Riley: Educational Consultant, Facilitator, Speaker, & Social Entrepreneur
Tanika has a lot of titles, no? Oh, I almost forgot, you can add mommy to that too. Tanika Riley is a super busy #girlboss who runs POR AMOR – her non- profit organization that she co-founded with 3 friends 15 years ago (she is now the Executive Director), where she facilitates workshops for…
Catching up with Zachariah
What I love about Zachariah is his unwavering determination – and as a performer, you need that! Ever since I met and featured this young rapper on my blog 4 years ago, he has shown me that even when he’s knocked down, he comes back swinging. In our initial interview, he spoke about his double…
Stachen Frederick: Educates Through BrAIDS for AIDS
Did you know that something as simple as getting your hair braided could help promote AIDS awareness? Yes, it’s that easy. Earlier this month I had a short but informative chat with Stachen Frederick – the founder of BrAIDS for AIDS, and she was more than eager to speak with me about her charitable…
Marci Ien: Trailblazing Woman In Media
I appreciate Marci Ien. I appreciate what she has done for women of colour in media, I appreciate what she represents, and lastly, I appreciate that she’s really nice. Seriously, she may be the most gracious person I’ve ever met! Just in case you’re unaware of the fabulousness that is Marci Ien, let me…
#HerstoryinBlack: A Document of 150 Phenomenal Black Women – Part 3
I really need someone to pinch me. Seriously….pinch me. Actually, if I am dreaming, I ain’t tryin’ to wake up. That’s how I felt on Monday, February 27, 2017. That day could not have been any better. Oh, before I delve into that magical day, lets back track for a bit. To recap…
My Year in Review: 2016
This blog entry isn’t necessarily a recap of all that has happened in the news, but just a brief summary of what 2016 was like for me. Wow, what can I possibly say about 2016? Without a doubt, it’s been a difficult year for me. I’ve had amazing highs (great friendships…
Eden Hagos: Celebrating Food Through The Eyes Of A Black Foodie
It was at the Taste of Regent Park this past summer that I first met Eden Hagos – a.k.a Black Foodie. We didn’t formally meet; I stumbled on the event – a community event she helped organize, while I, along with a few friends were set to attend a friend’s photo exhibit at Daniels Spectrum…
Karlyn Percil: Heals Through Sister Talk
A little over a month ago Karlyn Percil posted a very personal entry on her Instagram account. She wrote about the painful obstacles that she has endured, but through her courage and resilience, she has been able to heal herself by sharing her story. No word of a lie, I was this close to…
Val Andrews: Following Her Path
While I was chatting with a few ladies at the #HowSheHustlesSocial in late July, Val Andrews walked right up to me, studied my face and then said that I looked familiar. I told her that we met many, many, years ago – I was a friend of one of her sisters, but we have since…
Anne-Marie Woods: Produces She Said/He Said
When I think of the Toronto arts scene, there are a bunch of names that pop into my head – but you better believe that Anne-Marie Woods’ name is right up there! She has been hitting the stage hard since she left Nova Scotia and moved to Toronto in 2000. Anne-Marie or Amani as…
Emily Mills: Creating Opportunities for Women Through How She Hustles
Emily Mills is one of those special women that I aspire to be like when I grow up (yep, I know, I’m fully grown, but hey!). She holds it down at her day job, is a loving mom and wife, and generously makes time to empower like minded women through her side project – How…
Commentary: Beards: Friend or Foe
As you know, Words With Michelle mainly features stories about extraordinary people in the 6 and worldwide, but I’ve been toying with the idea of sharing my thoughts and opinion on a few topics. For this first installment, I will be speaking about Beards: Friend or Foe Beards: Friend or Foe About a…
Alexi Couto: Young Toronto Singer Delivers Anti-bullying Message
I really need to give a shout out to a very generous guy who consistently suggests extraordinary people for me to link up with, interview and expose. He big-heartedly suggested I speak with 20-year-old singer and Toronto native, Alexi Couto. Alexi Couto is a singer songwriter who adoringly devotes her time to music, but…
Desiree Marshall: Getting funky with Afrodelik Designs
I ran into Desiree Marshall – creator and founder of Afrodelik Designs, at the How She Hustles pop up shop back in November 2015. Bumping into her felt like I was reunited with an old friend that I sadly lost touch with. It was in 2007 that I first met Desiree when I caught…
Join the Joy & Love Movement with John Robinson Jr.
* This article was originally posted Oct 2013. Some may know him as John Robinson Jr., but to me he’s J.J. I met J.J. for the first time over 10 years ago when we were paired together for the radio talk show, The Cutting Edge on York University’s CHRY 105.5 fm (now called Vibe 105). I think we…
Natasha Chandel: Writer, Performer & Content Creator
It was recommended by a friend that I speak with Natasha Chandel – the funny, outspoken, and sassy Managing Editor of Programming at Maker Studios (Maker TV). He noted that Natasha is a #TDot native who is super creative, and currently develops cutting edge online programming. He sold me on his suggestion and I…
Dalton Higgins: Writer, Author & Hip Hop Expert
One of the people that I have admired for the longest time and tracked the career of is Dalton Higgins. Dalton is an outrageously talented writer who also holds the auspicious title of being Canada’s sole expert on hip hop culture. He’s written for Now Magazine for 10 years, and he has freelanced for Source…
Duane “D.O.” Gibson: Rapper With A Message
I’ve pretty much grown up with rap music. I’ve witnessed the fear produced by gangsta rap, I was enlightened by Afrocentric rap, got my dance on during the Puff Daddy (aka P. Diddy) era, and inspired (and also disillusioned) by the current state of hip hop. Although rap music and rappers have played an…
Anya Grant: Natural Hair Advocate
I met Anya from I Heart My Hair on a balmy Saturday afternoon at a midtown coffee shop. She originally wanted me to email her the questions or Skype the interview, but I was pretty insistent on meeting up. Meeting face to face not only allows for a more authentic interview, but it allows me to gain rapport with the interviewee….
Nandita Dias: Teacher, Singer & The Most Patient Person On Earth!
I received an email in early April from Nandita Dias, a full-time teacher and an accomplished jazz singer, telling me a bit about her upcoming album, “Let Us Lose Track Of Time.” I clicked reply and typed that I would love to learn more about her, and it would be a great idea if we…
Jonathan Shaw Has A lot On His Mind
On May 21, 2015, I tweeted that it was a year ago that I paid a visit to the G98.7fm studios to meet and interview DJ, radio legend, and mentor, Jonathan Shaw. Within seconds of posting that tweet, Jonathan replied saying that he was ready for Part 2. Yassss! Guess what? In a mere…
Dr. Kenneth Montague: Dentist By Day, Art Collector By Night
Who is Kenneth Montague anyways? Well, he’s a handsome dentist who has been practicing the fine art of dentistry in Toronto for about 18 years. He also has an illustrious list of patients, which includes Oscar-winning actor Russell Crowe, and Canada’s own Nelly Furtado. But only a select few know about his other passion. Yes, he’s…
Ebonnie Rowe: Talks About Running Honey Jam for 20 years!
I’ll be honest and say that most of my interviews tend to be with “creative types.” Can’t help it. I love being in the company of people who express themselves through music, art, and the written word. (psst..I am also inspired by non-artsy types too!) In this latest interview, I chose to seek out…
Ayanna Lee Rivears: Getting Your Body Fit With Socacize
Are you like me and in slight panic mode cuz your body ain’t ready for summer? Okay, truth be told, I’m not too stressed (#lovingmycurves), but I am looking for a fun way to stay active. If you know me, I’m not one to workout on the regular, but I recently heard about Socacize…
Aisha Fairclough: Fashion Blogger For Stylish Women With Curves!
Not sure what I was searching for one day while surfing the net, but I somehow stumbled upon the blog, Fat in the City. Fat in the City (FITC) is a fashion blog that celebrates stylish clothing for women with curves. I practically leapt out of my computer chair when I made this discovery! Fashion tends…
Dru: Speaks About His Solo Career
When I was a young, hungry writer just starting out, I prayed for any opportunity to show the world my writing skills. I wrote to thousands of magazine editors practically begging them to take me on as a writer. In a last ditch attempt to get published, I contacted an editor of a magazine that…
The Double Life Of Alize
One night, about a month ago, I was gettin’ my social media hustle on, when I received a tweet from @thisisAlizeS – a.k.a Yung Superman. He asked if I was interested in interviewing a web series producer who also happens to be a rap artist. I’m always down for making a new connection, but…
7 Questions With Chef Roger Mooking
I’ll let you in on a little secret….I don’t really spend a lot of time in the kitchen, but I shamelessly watch an exorbitant amount of cooking shows on the Food Network. #mydirtylittlesecret. A few years back, I was watching an episode of Everyday Exotic (a show where Chef Roger Mooking cooks with international…
Talking With Dilshad Burman: The Bubbly & Super Amazing Host Of V-Mix
I was literally counting down the seconds until I was able to post my first blog entry for 2015. I planned on starting the year off on a positive tip, and lucky for me, I met up with the delightfully optimistic, Dilshad Burman – the host of V-Mix – a weekly, half-hour program that explores…
Priya Ramanujam: Urbanology Editor-in-Chief & One of The Sweetest People You’ll Ever Meet!
I’ve always wanted to talk with Priya Ramanujam – Editor-in-Chief of hip hop mag Urbanology. I’m a magazine junkie, so I felt compelled to thank her for publishing a legit mag that caters to the local and international hip hop scene. Growing up on magazines from back in the day (remember Word magazine? Peace Magazine?…
Dwayne Morgan: No Ordinary Poet
I don’t know how I scored an interview with esteemed Spoken Word Artist Dwayne Morgan, but I thank God that I did! I have been in awe of Dwayne for years. It could be because I’m a writer and I appreciate that he introduced poetry slams to the T. Dot via his company Up From…
A Few Questions With Comedian Patrick Haye
Anyone who knows me, knows I loooove to laugh. Actually, what I should have written was – anyone who knows me, knows that I love being around people who make me laugh! So when I was thinking about who I wanted to interview next, I knew I wanted to meet a comedian. I…
Jill Andrew: Body Image Activist
It feels good when I am able to recognize the remarkable things that people do, but it’s even more gratifying for me when I‘m able to recognize friends who are doing remarkable things. One of my friends doing amazing things is Jill Andrew. Jill and I met way back in 2005 when she…
My Lunch Date with JD Vishus: Actor, Spoken Word Artist & Musician
I met JD, or Joey as my good friend Kevin endearingly calls him, about 4 years ago at Caribana. I normally attended the parade with Kevin – my friend from university, but this year he told me that one of his boys wanted to hang with us. I didn’t mind – the more the merrier….
Carl Cassell: The Genius Behind Harlem & Harlem Underground Restaurants
In honour of Canada Day, I decided to post an interview of a person that exemplifies the Canadian Dream. I originally posted this on my previous blog, but felt compelled to share Carl’s story once again. I find it incredible that he was able to move to Canada many years ago, and start not one,…
Tracy Peart: Makeup Artist, Beauty Expert & App Creator
My friends often tell me that I am the luckiest woman alive because I have a pretty sweet work week. Um…….I don’t work Tuesdays or Fridays. Yes, it’s true. On those days I either spend it doing interviews, writing, or engaging in some retail therapy. But the one thing that I usually look forward to…
Jonathan Shaw Talks Radio, DJing And Being a Mentor
It’s slightly surreal meeting someone in person when you’ve only heard them on radio. That’s what it felt like when I visited the G98.7fm studio and met Creative Director and DJ legend, Jonathan Shaw. Jonathan’s name, like many of the people I interview, had been scribbled on my infamous “to-interview” list for many years. Not…
