Épisodes

  • S2 Episode 17 :The Power of Letting Go and Renewal

    S2 Episode 17 :The Power of Letting Go and Renewal
    Sep 22 2025

    Are you holding on so tightly to the past—whether it’s a job, a relationship, or even a self-limiting belief—that you’ve left no space for growth?

    In this episode of Empowerment Junction, we explore the life-changing power of letting go. Drawing on research, scripture, and even a touching childhood story Trevor Noah shares in Born a Crime, you’ll discover that letting go isn’t about losing—it’s about creating space for new opportunities, deeper peace, and greater abundance.

    You’ll walk away with practical steps to identify what you’re tolerating, release what no longer serves you, and step into renewal with clarity and purpose.


    📚 Episode Resources: The Power of Letting Go and Renewal📖 Books

    • Born a Crime by Trevor Noah – A powerful memoir filled with lessons on resilience, letting go, and creating space for growth.

    • The Power of Now by Eckhart Tolle – A classic on releasing attachments to past and future, and living with renewed awareness.

    • Letting Go: The Pathway of Surrender by David R. Hawkins – Practical guidance on how to release negative emotions and experience freedom.

    • Thanks! How the New Science of Gratitude Can Make You Happier by Dr. Robert Emmons – Insights on how gratitude helps us let go and welcome renewal.

    • American Psychological Association (2017). Letting go of past mistakes helps reduce stress and improve well-being. APA Link

    • Webb, J. R., et al. (2021). The role of forgiveness and self-compassion in reducing stress and improving health outcomes. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology.

    • “5 Steps to Renewing Your Mind” – Bible Study Tools

      📝 Articles & Research🎧 Podcasts & Talks

    • Oprah’s Super Soul Conversations – Episodes on forgiveness, renewal, and growth.

    • The Mindset Mentor Podcast by Rob Dial – Tips on releasing limiting beliefs and renewing your focus.

    • Empowerment Junction Archive – Episodes on resilience, gratitude, and restoration (great for new listeners to explore).
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    27 min
  • Principles of Restoration: Finding Renewal in Life’s Seasons

    Principles of Restoration: Finding Renewal in Life’s Seasons
    Sep 8 2025

    In this episode of Empowerment Junction, we explore the timeless truth that restoration is always possible—no matter the challenges, losses, or setbacks we face. Drawing from the lives of King David, the prophet Isaiah, and lessons in Deuteronomy, I share five biblical principles that guide us on the path to renewal, resilience, and hope.

    In this episode we also reflects on September as a season of harvest, transition, and God’s appointed times. It’s an invitation to embrace your season of restoration and trust that God is always at work, preparing a harvest in your life.

    • Scripture References:

    • Galatians 6:9 – “At the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.”

      • Isiah 1: 18 -"Come now, let us settle the matter,” says the LORD. “Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool."

      • Psalm 51 – David’s prayer of restoration.

      • Isaiah 61:7 – God’s promise of double portion and everlasting joy.

      • Deuteronomy 30:3 – God restores His people.

      • Five Key Principles of Restoration (covered in the episode):

        1. Acknowledge and surrender your brokenness to God.

        2. Trust God’s timing and His seasons.

        3. Allow renewal through God’s Word and Spirit.

        4. Walk in obedience and faith, even when the path feels uncertain.

        5. Celebrate the harvest—recognizing God’s faithfulness in restoration.


      • 📝 Episode Notes📚 Resources & Further Reading

      • The Power of Now by Eckhart Tolle (for mindful presence in seasons of change)

      • Bible Project video: Themes of Restoration in Scripture

      • Previous Empowerment Junction episode: Can Giving Thanks Make You Happier?
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    20 min
  • Slay Your Lane: Strategies to Thrive, Shine & Stay True to Yourself

    Slay Your Lane: Strategies to Thrive, Shine & Stay True to Yourself
    Aug 11 2025

    In this episode of Empowerment Junction, I dive into the wisdom of Slay In Your Lane by Yomi Adegoke and Elizabeth Uviebinené, a powerful guide for Black women navigating life, love, and career in a world full of unspoken rules and systemic biases.

    We explore:

    • The art of owning your identity without apology.

    • Hair as liberation – inspired by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s Americanah.

    • The reality of racial fetishisation – past and present – including the tragic history of Sarah Baartman.

    • Career visibility: the "Now you see me, now you don’t" challenge Black women often face.

    • How to stop performing for others’ comfort and start living for your own truth.

    • A spiritual reminder that prayer is the place of empowerment where you go from pain to power.

    This is an unfiltered, truth-telling conversation for Black women ready to slay their lane, set boundaries, and step into God-given purpose.

    🎯 Listen if you want to:

    • Gain practical tips for navigating the workplace, relationships, and social spaces as a Black woman.

    • Understand the link between racial fetishisation and historic oppression.

    • Learn how to protect your peace while thriving in your lane.

    💬 Join the conversation: Share your thoughts on our SM platforms @EmpowermentJunctionPodcast


    📚 Resources & References

    • Book: Slay In Your Lane – Yomi Adegoke & Elizabeth Uviebinené

    • Book: Americanah – Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

    • Essay: We Should All Be Feminists – Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

    • Historical Account: Sarah Baartman, “Hottentot Venus” – South African History Archive

    • Article: “The Fetishisation of Black Women” – The Guardian

    • TED Talk: The Danger of a Single Story – Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
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    16 min
  • Strategies and Tools to Navigate Racism in the Workplace

    Strategies and Tools to Navigate Racism in the Workplace
    Jul 14 2025
    In this powerful episode, I reflect on a personal story shared by a listener — one that captures the suffocating silence many professionals of colour face in the workplace. From subtle power dynamics to outright racialised control, we unpack how racism is often embedded structurally, not just personally. This episode explores how to navigate such environments with dignity, awareness, and self-preservation.Key Themes:Structural racism and workplace hierarchiesWhite fragility and power dynamicsThe emotional labour of code-switching and silencingBlack professional isolationStrategies for protecting your mental wellbeingHonoring Dr. Antoinette Candia-Bailey: A Legacy Cut Short by Workplace RacismDr. Antoinette “Bonnie” Candia-Bailey (March 12, 1974 – January 8, 2024) was a trailblazing academic administrator and passionate advocate for diversity, equity, and justice in higher education. A native of Chicago, she devoted over 23 years to serving students and championing marginalized voices in roles across multiple universities, including Lincoln University of Missouri, where she became Vice President for Student Affairs.Dr. Candia-Bailey’s groundbreaking dissertation explored the barriers faced by Black women in academic leadership—a struggle she would experience firsthand. Despite her impressive credentials and dedication, she encountered workplace bullying, gaslighting, and exclusion at Lincoln University, culminating in her tragic suicide in January 2024. Her story sparked a national reckoning about the urgent need for systemic change, the toll of racial trauma, and the importance of safe, mentally healthy working environments for Black women and other minoritized groups.Her legacy lives on as a powerful reminder: addressing racism at work is not just about policy—it is about dignity, safety, and saving lives.The tragedy of workplace bullying (opinion)Referenced Works:📘 Why I’m No Longer Talking to White People About Race – Reni Eddo-Lodge📘 Living While Black – Guilaine Kinouani📘 Brit(ish) – Afua Hirsch📄 Harvard Business Review: "The Cost of Code-Switching"📄 TUC Report: Racism at Work (UK)Wellbeing Resources:Black Minds Matter UKMind: Support for Racism and Mental HealthRace Equality FirstACAS: Dealing with Discrimination at WorkListener Shout-Out:Thanks to everyone who tuned in to our last episode on “How to Bounce Back from a Personal Crisis”, requested by Sade. The episode reached new wavelengths! I’ve had so many thoughtful questions come through, and I’m working through them slowly — keep them coming!🎧 If you haven’t already, check it out!
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    43 min
  • How To Bounce Back From a Personal Crisis

    How To Bounce Back From a Personal Crisis
    Jun 30 2025

    Have you ever felt like life knocked the wind out of you? You’re not alone—and this episode of Empowerment Junction is here to remind you that bouncing back is possible.

    Inspired by one of our listeners, we take a deep dive into how to rebuild after personal crises. Drawing from the insights of renowned crisis manager Judy Smith, author of Good Self, Bad Self and the real-life inspiration behind the hit show Scandal, we explore how to regain control, rebuild confidence, and move forward with strength and clarity.

    This conversation is packed with practical strategies, expert perspectives, and words of encouragement to support your recovery and growth. Whether you're navigating loss, burnout, or a major life shift, this episode will help you find your footing again.

    🎧 Listen now and don’t forget to subscribe—we’re now on YouTube, Spotify, Goodpods, and all major platforms.

    Episode Resources:

    1. Book: Good Self, Bad Self: Transforming Your Worst Qualities into Your Biggest Assets by Judy Smith
      Available on Amazon

    2. TEDx Talk: Judy Smith – The Power of Owning Your Mistakes

    3. Article: Psychology Today – 10 Ways to Bounce Back from a Crisis

    4. Podcast Recommendation: The Resilience Podcast – Real Stories of Overcoming Adversity

    5. Free Worksheet: Personal Crisis Recovery Map – download from our show notes or website



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    34 min
  • Debunking the Lies, Series 4 :Tulsa, Truth & the Power to Rise

    Debunking the Lies, Series 4 :Tulsa, Truth & the Power to Rise
    Jun 16 2025
    In this powerful series finale of debunking the lies we confront one of the most deliberately erased tragedies in American history — The 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre.From the brilliance of Black Wall Street to the ashes of Greenwood, this episode explores the truths that textbooks left out, connecting the silence of the past to the inequalities we still face today. We draw parallels between the massacre, systemic erasure, and the resilience rooted in faith, spirit, and identity.We explore:​The false accusation that lit the match in Tulsa​How systems of injustice silenced survivors and distorted history​Why erasure is not ignorance — it’s a strategy​The spiritual and ancestral strength that continues to carry Black communities forwardAs we close this series on debunking the lies — from education and healthcare to media narratives and historical whitewashing — this episode calls us not only to remember but to rise.✨ Because the truth is sacred. And so is your resilience.🎙️ Tap play to listen. Then reflect, rise, and reclaim.📚 Resources for Further Exploration🔥 Documentaries & Films:​Tulsa Burning: The 1921 Race Massacre (History Channel, produced by LeBron James)​Dreamland: The Burning of Black Wall Street (CNN/HBO Max)​The Fire and the Forgotten (PBS)​Greenwood Reimagined – New York Times 3D Reconstruction of Tulsa​What the Tulsa Race Massacre Destroyed – Vox explainer with maps and survivor interviews​Tulsa Historical Society & Museum – https://www.tulsahistory.org​The Burning: Massacre, Destruction, and the Tulsa Race Riot of 1921 – Tim Madigan​Black Wall Street: From Riot to Renaissance in Tulsa’s Historic Greenwood District – Hannibal B. Johnson​They Came Before Columbus – Ivan Van Sertima (for deeper Black historical context beyond U.S. borders)​1619 Podcast by The New York Times – Particularly Ep. 1: “The Fight for Truth”​Code Switch – “A Decade of Watching Black People Die” (on media, trauma, and remembrance)​The Witness: A Black Christian Collective – Faith-centered perspectives on injustice and resilienceThe collection of slavery compensation, 1835–43 | Bank of England https://www.bankofengland.co.uk/working-paper/2022/the-collection-of-slavery-compensation-1835-43📖 Articles & Archives:📚 Books:🎧 Related Podcast Episodes & Talks:🙏🏾 Faith & Reflection:Throughout the episode, we reflect on the Israelites’ liberation as a spiritual metaphor for Black resilience. Here are a few anchoring scriptures to hold:​Exodus 3:7-8“I have indeed seen the misery of my people in Egypt... I have come down to rescue them from the hand of the Egyptians.”​Exodus 6:6“I am the Lord, and I will bring you out from under the yoke... I will free you from being slaves to them, and I will redeem you.”​Exodus 14:14“The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still.”​Exodus 13:21“By day the Lord went ahead of them in a pillar of cloud... and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light.”​Exodus 15:2“The Lord is my strength and my defense; He has become my salvation.”🙏 Reflect & ReclaimJournal prompts for listeners and readers:​What family stories have been lost, silenced, or reshaped by pain?​Where in your life do you feel called to rise — despite the ruins?​How does your faith remind you that you are seen and remembered?Share your thoughts, responses, or questions:📩 Email Olivia at : busseyolivia@outlook.comGetinTouch💬 Comment on the podcast page🔗 Subscribe and join the Empowerment Junction community Empowerment Junction Podcast💬 Stay Engaged
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    31 min
  • Series 3: Debunking the Lies: The Invisible Truth About Black Women’s Health

    Series 3: Debunking the Lies: The Invisible Truth About Black Women’s Health
    Jun 2 2025
    In this deeply personal and eye-opening episode, I share the story of my late mother, whose delayed diagnosis and treatment reveal the devastating consequences of being invisible in a healthcare system that too often fails Black women.Drawing inspiration from Invisible Women by Caroline Criado Perez, we confront the dangerous myth that Black women feel less pain—a lie rooted in historical racism and perpetuated in modern medicine. I share my own lived experience of becoming a mother and navigating a system where being seen, heard, and believed isn’t always a given.This episode is both a tribute and a call to action. We unpack the statistics, expose the biases, and arm you with tools to advocate for yourself and those you love. Because your pain is real. Your health matters. And your voice must be heard.Episode Notes Uterine Cancer and Ethnicity (UK)Recent UK data shows that Black women in England are more than twice as likely to die from womb (uterine) cancer as white women. According to the Office for National Statistics and featured in a 2024 UK cancer care summary, between 2017 and 2019, mortality rates for Black women were over two times higher than their white counterparts—a gap directly tied to late diagnosis and barriers in healthcare access. For the latest uterine cancer facts, visit the Cancer Research UK mortality statistics page Black women at greater risk of dying from uterine cancer | News | University ofLeicesterUterine cancer statistics | Cancer Research UKUterine cancer mortality and Black women: time to act - The Lancet OncologyBlack women have a higher risk of advanced stage uterine cancer - GatewayCA recent commentary with data from the ONS highlights that 78% of Black women in the UK do not believe their health is as equally protected by the NHS as white women’s. This significant lack of trust is widely cited as a barrier to timely health-seeking behavior and equitable care. Campaigns such as Five X More continue to raise awareness and advocate for better outcomes.The MBRRACE-UK Report 2023 confirms that Black women are 3.7 times more likely to die during or shortly after childbirth compared to white women. These persistent disparities are a significant focus of recent public health campaigns and UK government action [MBRRACE-UK Report, 2023].Studies routinely show up to 80% of Black women develop uterine fibroids by age 50, often with more severe symptoms and earlier onset compared to women of other ethnicities. Fibroid prevalence and impact is a leading reproductive health concern for Black British women, regularly documented in resources from Cancer Research UK and partner organizationsBlack Women’s Confidence in the NHSMaternal Mortality in the UKUterine Fibroids in Black WomenInvisible Women: Exposing Data Bias in a World Designed for Men – Caroline Criado PerezMedical Apartheid – Harriet A. WashingtonThe Pain Gap: How Sexism and Racism in Healthcare Kill Women – Anushay HossainBirthrights Report: Systemic Racism, Not Broken Bodies (2022) – birthrights.org.ukPALS (Patient Advice and Liaison Service)Offers support and advice if you’re not being heard by NHS providers.Find your local PALSFive X More – Black maternal health awareness and advocacyhttps://fivexmore.comTommy’s Charity – Support and research for pregnancy loss and maternal health disparitieshttps://www.tommys.orgBirthrights – Legal support and advocacy for respectful maternity carehttps://www.birthrights.org.uk📚 Relevant Resources & NHS Data🔍 Key Statistics & Reports📘 Recommended Reading🛠️ Health Advocacy Tools.
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    43 min
  • Debunking the Lies Series 2: Education, Opportunity and the Ilusion of Equality

    Debunking the Lies Series 2: Education, Opportunity and the Ilusion of Equality
    May 18 2025
    We're often told that education is the great equaliser, the key to unlocking opportunity for all. But what if that very system is instead a mirror, starkly reflecting the deep-seated inequalities of our society? Join me as we delve into the UK education system, armed with ONS data, to expose the uncomfortable truth: the profound disparities rooted in wealth and class. From the chasm in resources between private and state schools to the undeniable overrepresentation of the privileged in coveted high-status careers, we're dismantling the myth of a level playing field. And in doing so, we'll confront a difficult question: is it time we had a more honest conversation with our children and young adults, acknowledging that sometimes, no matter how diligently they strive, some doors may remain stubbornly closed?Episode Resources:1. Equality trust link - https://equalitytrust.org.uk/scale-economic-inequality-uk/The UK has very high inequality of income compared to other developed countries; the 9th most unequal incomes of 38 OECD countries (OECD, 2022). The UK’s wealth inequality is much more severe than income inequality, with the top fifth taking 36% of the country’s income and 63% of the country’s wealth, while the bottom fifth have only 8% of the income and only 0.5% of the wealthaccording to the Office for National Statistics.Inequality of wealth and income fell during the 20th century, but began rising again in the 1980s. UK INCOME INEQUALITYUK WEALTH INEQUALITYGLOBAL WEALTH & INCOME INEQUALITYWealth in Great Britain3. Private schools and inequalityPrivate schools and inequality2025 and the graduate labour market | LuminateUpdated Gatsby Benchmarks adopted into latest government guidance for schools, colleges and ITPs | The Careers and Enterprise CompanyNew survey shows the extent of class privilege in UK journalism1. The personal characteristics and diversity of UK journalists | Reuters Institute for the Study of JournalismUK journalists are getting older, more left-wing and increasingly work freelance - Press GazetteNew survey shows the extent of class privilege in UK journalismChanges to tuition fees: 2025 to 2026 academic year - GOV.UKUK tuition fees for international studentsInternational student tuition feesAnalysis of international student enrolments for courses starting in January 2025 | Chartered Association of Business SchoolsThe Fiscal Impact of Immigration in the UK - Migration ObservatoryNet migration report (accessible) - GOV.UKThe impact of migration on the fiscal forecast - Office for Budget ResponsibilityImmigrants’ Economic Contributions to the UK | DavidsonMorrisFurther Resources:The Office for National Statistics (ONS): The primary source for many of the statistics mentioned. Explore their website for data on wealth, income, employment, education, and more.The Sutton Trust: Conducts extensive research on social mobility and education inequality in the UK.The Education Policy Institute (EPI): Provides independent and evidence-based research and analysis on education policy in England.The Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS): Offers in-depth analysis of public finances and education spending.Universities UK: Represents UK universities and publishes data and reports on higher education, including the contribution of international students.
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    43 min