It was recommended by an old high school friend that I feature Casey Palmer – a writer, daddy blogger and podcaster. She went on to sing his praises and provided me with the deets to contact him. (thanks, Cathy) When she told me that he was a daddy blogger, I was sold. I didn’t need…
My Lunch Break With Tracy Moore
This interview has been 5 years in the making. I’ve wanted to interview Tracy Moore – the host of Cityline, ever since I started Words With Michelle. I’ve wanted to document her story because I find her incredibly inspirational. I’ve seen her transition from videographer, to Breakfast Television reporter, to capturing the role of…
Marcia Murdock: Beyond The Shame – One Mother’s Journey To Healing In Front Of The Bars
I started working on my interview with Marcia Murdock –author of Beyond Shame: One Mother’s Journey to Healing In Front Of The Bars, well over a year ago. I started it, but I never got around to finishing it. After doing some pre-spring cleaning a month ago, I found the incomplete interview buried in…
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…
2018: Year in Review
Real talk – 2018 wasn’t one of my fave years. It wasn’t just the countless and shocking incidences of racial injustice, or the spike in violence in Toronto, or even the amount of hatred that reared its ugly head throughout the year (it definitely played a part though). It was a blah year because I…
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…
Toronto Eats: Starving Artist
I often toy with the idea of becoming a food blogger. I love food, I talk about food (a lot!), and I love looking at food pics on Instagram. #dontjudgeme So last weekend I decided to dip my toe into the food blogging pool, and blog about a brunch spot that recently hit the west…
Talking About The Reelworld Film Festival With Tonya Williams
I literally got an email less than a week ago asking if I was available to speak about the Reelworld film festival with its founder, Executive and Artistic Director, Tonya Williams. Of course I said I’d do it! Spreading the word about the festival is something that I am more than happy to do, as it…
Ruby Ibarra: Brown Girls Rap Too!
What do you get when you add a dash of Filipino flavour, a taste of the Bay area, and some thought provoking lyrics? You get hip hop emcee, Ruby Ibarra. Ruby Ibarra is a young rap artist that hails from the Philippines, and who currently resides in California. Real talk – one of…
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…
My Italian Vacay 2018
Would you believe me if I told you that it’s been 4 years since my last vacation? No, seriously. Sadly, over the past 4 years there have been a few obstacles that made it impossible for me to take a vacation. From taking care of a loved one after an operation, quitting a mentally destructive…
Featured Blogger: Jamila Kyari
As a writer and blogger who relishes in discovering new things as well as exposing local talent, I was happy when an email from Jamila Kyari reached my inbox. Jamila contacted me to tell me that she’s a fellow Canadian blogger who works in the Communication industry, and who also enjoys reading Words With…
Morgan O. Smith: Talks About Meditation & His Spiritual Awakening
Ever have an intense feeling that you needed to connect with someone that you barely knew, who probably didn’t even know YOU existed? Sounds weird, right? I know. That’s how I felt about reaching out to Morgan O. Smith. I don’t know him personally, but something kept telling me, “You need to speak to…
Nneka Elliott: From News Reporter to Lifestyle Entrepreneur
As you can tell by the number of phenomenal people that have graced my 4-year-old blog (Yes, Words With Michelle turns 4 tomorrow – woo hoo!), I am genuinely in awe of people who fearlessly follow their dreams and path – no matter what. In 2016, Nneka Elliott, a well-known media personality and news…
Karen M. Lowe: Wants You To Go After Your Dreams!
Have you ever wanted to start your own business but felt scared? Overwhelmed? Confused? Or, are you a budding entrepreneur who would like to take your business to the next level? I suggest you to talk with Karen M. Lowe! Karen M. Lowe is the CEO of Epigram Consulting – a business consulting…
Kofi Frempong: Creating Positive Black Images
Creating and presenting positive black imagery is so essential – more so than ever today. Judging from the major fail from that retail store that shall remain nameless (they do not deserve to have their name mentioned on my blog!), I think it’s crucial that we see ourselves and represent ourselves in the most uplifting…
2017: Year In Review
The past 365 days has been anything but average. It’s been one of those years that I couldn’t possibly forget. It wasn’t just events that happened to me personally, a lot had to do with the social climate and the overall dark tone of the year. I have never in all my life witnessed such…
Makini Smith: Author, Speaker & Loving Mom
I didn’t have the chance to meet with Makini Smith face to face for this interview, but we did actually meet briefly 2 years ago. We were both in attendance at the #HowSheHustles pop up market – I was hanging with a friend, who also happens to be a friend of Makini’s. My friend discretely…
Jae Cabrera does #1songadayfor2017
I love watching people work on their hustle – grinding and putting in the effort. This is why I am happy to feature singer, Jae Cabrera. I have watched him over the past few months perform songs – original and cover songs, on his Instagram account, where he proudly displays his hashtag #1songadayfor2017. It…
One Afternoon: Model For A Day
This latest post is a mini departure from my usual interview-based blog posts. In this entry I share with you one of the most fun afternoons I had in a loooong time. What made it next level awesome was that it was completely unexpected. Almost 2 months ago, on a pretty average Sunday morning,…
Mugabi Byenkya Talks About Writing His Debut Book, Dear Philomena
I had so many emotions before I sat down to write this interview. I was incredibly nervous about writing it because I really wanted to capture EVERYTHING I learned about Dear Philomena author, Mugabi Byenkya. I wanted to capture his strength, his resilience, his positivity, as well as his utter coolness. I really wasn’t sure…
Like TrapSoul? Like Yoga? Read This
I have never taken a yoga class in my life. I’m serious…..I have done some stretching exercises via YouTube videos, but I haven’t taken a formal class. I’m not opposed to it or anything; I just found it a little too slow paced for me. But when I heard of TrapSoul yoga (trap music…
Zahra Siddiqui: Spotlights The Invisible Majority
After a long day at work and surviving on almost no sleep for 2 days, I made my way to The Common – a Bloor street café in Toronto, to meet the infinitely talented photographer, Zahra Siddiqui. Truth be told, I was legit nervous to meet her. I’ve been a fan for a while;…
Jam Gamble: Special Needs Educator, TV Host, & Mic Slayer!
It was a pretty normal night – I was chilling on my phone, creeping pics on Instagram, when a series of Insta-stories featuring Jam Gamble appeared on my screen. I have been following her for a while now, but one of her empowering videos got me thinking, why haven’t I interviewed this fabulous lady yet?…
Toronto Events: Afrodelik Comic Book Launch
Desiree Marshall (aka Dezi) and I go way back. Okay, not way, way back, but I’ve known her for at a little over 10 years. I met the diminutive entrepreneur over a decade ago at a natural hair show where she debuted her clothing line Afrodelik. Taken by her unique and funky pieces, I did…
Toronto Eats: Bobbette and Belle
What do you do right after you’ve scarfed down a fatty meal at your local diner? Take a nap? Exercise? Umm… go for dessert of course! I’m not kidding. After a friend and I had a hearty lunch, she mischievously leaned over to me and asked if I wanted to go for cake. I thought…
Richard Cazeau: From MuchMoreMusic to Cultural Curator
Not sure if it’s because my birthday is quickly approaching, but I’ve been feeling kinda nostalgic lately – thinking back to the things that I enjoyed when I was younger. One of the things that came to mind was watching music videos. I can recall when MuchMusic was the ONLY place to watch videos….
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…
MeBookz: Storytelling With A Twist!
Do you read to your children before they go to sleep? Wanna add a fun twist to storytelling? I’m pretty certain you’re wondering why I’m writing about bedtime stories since I’m not a parent. Well, I have a very precocious 5-year-old nephew, and I enjoy reading to him whenever I see him. About…
Sheena Blake: Helps You Tell Your Story Through Discovering Diversity Publishing
Have you ever met someone and knew that you were destined to become friends? Although they don’t exactly possess the same personality as you, but they are just as quirky as you, giggle at your silly jokes, and basically just get you? (Think of the characters J and CeCe from the outrageously funny web…
#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…
#HerstoryinBlack: A Document of 150 Phenomenal Black Women – Part 2
In part 1 of #HerstoryinBlack: A Document of 150 Phenomenal Black Women, I wrote about the excitement I felt conducting a few interviews at the monumental photo shoot organized by #howshehustles founder, Emily Mills. I had no clue that a few weeks after that, my life would change. THE EMAIL A couple…
#HerstoryinBlack: A Document Of 150 Phenomenal Black Women – Part 1
When Emily Mills – founder and CEO of #HowSheHustles, contacted me early on this year and asked if I would assist her with a project she was organizing…ummm, I didn’t really need to think twice about it. All I asked was, “when and where?” When I received her email, Ms. Mills shared with me that she…
Black History Month Pop Up Market
Throughout the year, I like to attend events that are in support of black contributions, but I make an extra special effort to attend during Black History month. It was suggested that I attend the Black Owned: Black History Month Pop Up Market by Justice Achampong – Founder of Ananse Clothing, and I took him…
Raoul Juneja: Social Activist & Anti-Bullying Advocate
I want to say a big THANK YOU to Raoul Juneja. Over the years, he has generously connected me with numerous talented people in and out of the city. To say thank you, I wanted to feature him on the blog and speak about the charitable work that he is involved in. If Raoul…
Keith Hill Jr. Speaks About Fighting Fear & Doing Discipline
One of my favourite events of 2016 was attending the Author’s Coffee Meet Up hosted by Sheena Blake, Founder and CEO of Discovering Diversity Publishing. I shamelessly attended the event even though I haven’t written a book……(yet), but jumped at the chance to interact with other writers. During the course of the night, I…
Joan Saldanha: Delivering Creative Wellness Programs to Children & Youth Through Eternal Springtime
I’m really excited to have this interview as my first blog entry for 2017. My soul feels good knowing that I am giving a platform to a cause that we sometimes don’t speak enough about – mental wellness and mental health. In early December, I received a message via LinkedIn from Joan Saldanha asking…
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…
Events: Connecting With Writers, Authors & Bloggers
November has been creativity overload for me. I was fortunate enough to attend two fantastic events that allowed me to connect with writers, authors and bloggers. Here’s a bit about what they were about. Black Bloggers United Power Hour, November 19, 2016 Although this event took place on a cold, windy, rainy Saturday…
Will I Find My Mr. Right Online?
Follow my blog with Bloglovin *I originally wrote this article in March 2015 and it appeared on cocomagazine.com As you may have deduced from the title, I’m a single girl. For the past couple of years I was cool with being single, but lately I’ve come to the point where my single…
5 quick questions with media expert Camille Dundas
Being a person of colour, it’s really important for me to be able to see the contributions made by people that look just like me in the media. Be it in the world of business, medicine, or arts and entertainment – I want the opportunity to see positive images of black people. Lord knows we…
Jonathan Emile: Rapper, Fighter, Survivor
In the past few months, I have posted several interviews on #girlbosses doing and achieving remarkable things. But deep down I’ve been itching to write a story about a guy doing equally awesome things. Lucky for me, Jonathan Emile’s name popped up in my email and I had a chance to talk with him. …
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…
My island fix: Simone’s Caribbean Restaurant
It would be remiss if I didn’t reveal that my friends, Umi and Gillian were in fact, the ones that introduced me to my island fix aka – Simone’s. They always spoke about grabbing lunch at Simone’s Caribbean restaurant, but having a West Indian background, I was highly suspicious of the food. Could it…
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…
Inside His Head
On June 11, 2016, I attended #InsideHisHead (interesting title, eh?!) hosted by the bubbly and entertaining Rachael-Lea Rickards. What is Inside His Head? Inside His Head is a salacious event where men answer truthfully questions on love, relationships and SEX! Being a female, I know the way I feel about those subjects,…
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…
Words With Michelle 