In this fourth episode of our series on grief, The Bees are joined by Josiane who shares her experience of pregnancy loss and subsequent traumatic, life threatening childbirth experiences. We discuss the disparate treatment of Black women in the American health care system and the importance of advocating for yourself. Josiane also talks about the emotional toll of her experiences, where she found support, and how it shaped her outlook on motherhood and life in general.

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In the third epsiode of our grief series, The Bees are joined by Sidney Ngochi, who shares his experience of losing his wife suddenly. Sidney talks about his grieving process, the importance of family and community in navigating single parenthood, and offers valuable insights and advice for others who may be facing similar experiences.

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In the second episode in our series on grief, The Bees are joined by Ning Tendo, grief guide and dream researcher, and author of ⁠Death Song In Green⁠ . We share personal stories about our experiences with grief, and Ning discusses the impact of cultural rituals, and the importance of community in the grieving process. She shares how experiences in her life have shaped her and led to the work she currently does, from her childhood in Cameroon to her journey as an immigrant in America, and dealing with the most significant loss in her life.

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This month we're doing a series of episodes on the topic of grief. Whitney Asaha joins us for our first discussion, to share her experience with grieving the loss of her parents when she was a teenager. She shares how the grieving process was different with each loss, and how cultural norms can provide support and also alienate grieving people.

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*This episode includes discussions of child abuse.* The Bees review our book of the month for August, which was "Butter Honey Pig Bread" by Francesca Ekwuyasi. We discuss themes of magical realism in the book, and relate them to beliefs and practices from Cameroon and other African countries. We talk about generational trauma and how it manifests in each of the women centered in this story.

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The Bees are joined by Ozoz Sokoh, culinary anthropologist and food historian, curator of the Kitchen Butterfly blog and Feast Afrique digital library. Ozoz shares the inspiration behind her work, and some eye opening discoveries she has made on her journey exploring the history and evolution of West African cuisine on the continent and across the diaspora.

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The Bees are joined by Anim Aweh, a licensed mental health therapist, certified clinical health educator and co-founder of Aweh Support. Anim sheds light on the lack of mental health support in immigrant communities and the need for culturally competent therapists. We discuss some reasons why immigrants may be resistant to seeking out mental health care and how we can overcome barriers to access.

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The Bees are joined by Ashangndowah Akwo, co-founder of myNkwa, a digital savings app helping Cameroonians meet their financial goals. He discusses the challenges he faced as a startup founder and the importance of failure in the entrepreneurial journey. He emphasizes the need for resources and support for young entrepreneurs in the African startup ecosystem.

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