In this episode of Theo’s Coffee Break, I sit down with thee Shayna “Akanke” Marie who is a poet, art activist, creative entrepreneur, and quiet force behind so many of Grand Rapids’ truth-telling spaces.

As the founder of Akanke’s Room, narrative strategist at The Diatribe, and collaborator on projects like A City Within A City, GRMiFi (Media Initiative & Film Incubator), and Reaching Beyond Bias; Shayna has built rooms where art and activism meet healing and transformation.

In this coffee break session we talk about:

• When poetry first became her language
• Building Akanke’s Room as a sanctuary for truth-telling
• Balancing art and entrepreneurship as a creative woman of color
• Her role as an “accidental historian” in Grand Rapids’ collective memory
• What she’s learned from years of working with youth
• And how she sustains hope while carrying the weight of community work

This conversation is as much about wisdom as it is about witness. I hope it reminds you of the power of words and the rooms we choose to build for one another.

Support the show

If you enjoyed this episode, subscribe and follow so you never miss out on one of our coffee break sessions!

Now that we are a listener supported show, you can buy me a coffee and join the Café Crew at buymeacoffee.com/theoscoffeebreak for $5/mon.

Every donation will directly impact our coffee table and our goal here is to build this coffee table together with you.

Do you want to join the coffee table, or know someone who would be a great guest? Send me an email to theoscoffeebreakpodcast@gmail.com

Your voice, input, and curiosity is what shapes this table, and I’m here ready to listen with an open mind. Feel free to reach out via email or find me on Instagram at @theoscoffeebreakpodcast

Thank you for being here with me at our coffee table today. I’m so excited to keep growing this podcast with you: one story, one conversation, and one sip at a time.

So until next time… take good care of yourself. And remember: the coffee’s always on and ready to pour here at Theo’s Coffee Break. But most importantly...

You are always welcome at my coffee table.

For me, a coffee break has never been just about coffee...

I've always seen it as another way to connect with family, catch up with friends, or even connect within the community, workplace, or even with myself.

In this reflective solo episode, I have decided to share how my earliest memories of coffee at my grandparents’ kitchen table and childhood home shaped my understanding of love, care, and presence with those around me and myself.

In remembering my Grandma VanderVeen’s playful tease about red hair and freckles, my Grandpa’s quiet moments reading the newspaper while I read the comic section, and those special morning routines with my dad before he headed off to work became more than habits, they became memories of how I see love in action.

This episode is shared in memory of my beloved Grandma and Grandpa VanderVeen, whose presence and coffee table taught me that even the smallest coffee cup could carry the greatest meaning in my now every day life.

Take a deep breath, pour yourself a cup (or whatever centers you), and let’s sit together at the coffee table.

Support the show

If you enjoyed this episode, subscribe and follow so you never miss out on one of our coffee break sessions!

Now that we are a listener supported show, you can buy me a coffee and join the Café Crew at buymeacoffee.com/theoscoffeebreak for $5/mon.

Every donation will directly impact our coffee table and our goal here is to build this coffee table together with you.

Do you want to join the coffee table, or know someone who would be a great guest? Send me an email to theoscoffeebreakpodcast@gmail.com

Your voice, input, and curiosity is what shapes this table, and I’m here ready to listen with an open mind. Feel free to reach out via email or find me on Instagram at @theoscoffeebreakpodcast

Thank you for being here with me at our coffee table today. I’m so excited to keep growing this podcast with you: one story, one conversation, and one sip at a time.

So until next time… take good care of yourself. And remember: the coffee’s always on and ready to pour here at Theo’s Coffee Break. But most importantly...

You are always welcome at my coffee table.

Have you ever felt like you couldn’t do anything right like no matter how hard you tried you were made to feel like you are never enough?

This episode was created for the ones who’ve been micromanaged in love, guilted by those they trusted, and told that keeping score was the only way to protect yourself.

Today, we lay it all out on the coffee table for us to discuss:

• The quiet damage of over-correction disguised as love
• Why “keeping score” only drains your joy
• How real love creates space and trust, not checkboxes intended to cultivate fear

Because love isn’t about tallying wins and losses, it’s about freedom to be yourself.

🎧 Available now on Spotify, Apple, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts.
☕ Look up Theo’s Coffee Break podcast to learn more .

Support the show

If you enjoyed this episode, subscribe and follow so you never miss out on one of our coffee break sessions!

Now that we are a listener supported show, you can buy me a coffee and join the Café Crew at buymeacoffee.com/theoscoffeebreak for $5/mon.

Every donation will directly impact our coffee table and our goal here is to build this coffee table together with you.

Do you want to join the coffee table, or know someone who would be a great guest? Send me an email to theoscoffeebreakpodcast@gmail.com

Your voice, input, and curiosity is what shapes this table, and I’m here ready to listen with an open mind. Feel free to reach out via email or find me on Instagram at @theoscoffeebreakpodcast

Thank you for being here with me at our coffee table today. I’m so excited to keep growing this podcast with you: one story, one conversation, and one sip at a time.

So until next time… take good care of yourself. And remember: the coffee’s always on and ready to pour here at Theo’s Coffee Break. But most importantly...

You are always welcome at my coffee table.

In this episode of Theo’s Coffee Break, Theo sits down with Alexis Stark who is a journalist, poet, educator, and West Michigan creative to talk about the intersections of faith, queerness, and storytelling.

Alexis shares the heart behind her forthcoming poetry collection The Sound of Honey Falling, the role of journalism in shaping community narratives, and what it means to live authentically at the crossroads of Christianity and queer identity.

Together, they explore themes of healing, belonging, and the power of poetry to hold both tension and beauty. Whether you’re a writer, a seeker, or someone navigating the complexities of identity and spirituality, this conversation will give you something real to reflect on.

Support the show

If you enjoyed this episode, subscribe and follow so you never miss out on one of our coffee break sessions!

Now that we are a listener supported show, you can buy me a coffee and join the Café Crew at buymeacoffee.com/theoscoffeebreak for $5/mon.

Every donation will directly impact our coffee table and our goal here is to build this coffee table together with you.

Do you want to join the coffee table, or know someone who would be a great guest? Send me an email to theoscoffeebreakpodcast@gmail.com

Your voice, input, and curiosity is what shapes this table, and I’m here ready to listen with an open mind. Feel free to reach out via email or find me on Instagram at @theoscoffeebreakpodcast

Thank you for being here with me at our coffee table today. I’m so excited to keep growing this podcast with you: one story, one conversation, and one sip at a time.

So until next time… take good care of yourself. And remember: the coffee’s always on and ready to pour here at Theo’s Coffee Break. But most importantly...

You are always welcome at my coffee table.

This episode is an open invitation straight from Theo of Theo's Coffee Break.

If you’ve been listening to Theo’s Coffee Break and thought, “I’d love to share my story, too” this is your sign. Theo is inviting listeners (yes, you!) to become future guests on the podcast.

Whether you want to share your journey, offer insight, or just have an honest conversation at the coffee table, this is your chance to connect. And if you know someone whose voice deserves to be heard, send them Theo’s way.

Reach out to Theo's Coffee Break by emailing him at theoscoffeebreakpodcast@gmail.com
to start the conversation. Because the heart of this podcast has always been about building authentic relationships, learning from one another, and remembering that you matter.

Support the show

If you enjoyed this episode, subscribe and follow so you never miss out on one of our coffee break sessions!

Now that we are a listener supported show, you can buy me a coffee and join the Café Crew at buymeacoffee.com/theoscoffeebreak for $5/mon.

Every donation will directly impact our coffee table and our goal here is to build this coffee table together with you.

Do you want to join the coffee table, or know someone who would be a great guest? Send me an email to theoscoffeebreakpodcast@gmail.com

Your voice, input, and curiosity is what shapes this table, and I’m here ready to listen with an open mind. Feel free to reach out via email or find me on Instagram at @theoscoffeebreakpodcast

Thank you for being here with me at our coffee table today. I’m so excited to keep growing this podcast with you: one story, one conversation, and one sip at a time.

So until next time… take good care of yourself. And remember: the coffee’s always on and ready to pour here at Theo’s Coffee Break. But most importantly...

You are always welcome at my coffee table.

In this solo episode of Theo’s Coffee Break, I’m pulling back the curtain on what it’s really like to be your own boss.

Entrepreneurship comes with the promise of freedom, your own schedule, and the power to call your own shots. But here’s the plot twist: without structure, freedom can quickly become drifting… and drifting can lead to burnout or even failure.

I’ll walk you through my actual day literally from the night-before prep, to the rituals that keep me grounded, to the work blocks and moments of flexibility that help me stay consistent without losing my creativity. We’ll talk about compassionate discipline, finding a rhythm that serves your goals, and the truth about navigating the unknown when the outcome isn’t guaranteed.

If you’ve ever wondered what entrepreneurship really looks like behind the Instagram posts, this is for you.

Take a sip, settle in, and let’s walk through what a day in my life looks like when I’m not here with you at the coffee table.

Support the show

If you enjoyed this episode, subscribe and follow so you never miss out on one of our coffee break sessions!

Now that we are a listener supported show, you can buy me a coffee and join the Café Crew at buymeacoffee.com/theoscoffeebreak for $5/mon.

Every donation will directly impact our coffee table and our goal here is to build this coffee table together with you.

Do you want to join the coffee table, or know someone who would be a great guest? Send me an email to theoscoffeebreakpodcast@gmail.com

Your voice, input, and curiosity is what shapes this table, and I’m here ready to listen with an open mind. Feel free to reach out via email or find me on Instagram at @theoscoffeebreakpodcast

Thank you for being here with me at our coffee table today. I’m so excited to keep growing this podcast with you: one story, one conversation, and one sip at a time.

So until next time… take good care of yourself. And remember: the coffee’s always on and ready to pour here at Theo’s Coffee Break. But most importantly...

You are always welcome at my coffee table.

In this powerful episode of Theo’s Coffee Break, Theo sits down with filmmaker, community builder, and creative visionary Daveed Benoit.

Together, Theo and Daveed explore:

• The roots of Daveed’s artistic journey
• How storytelling became his form of protest, purpose, and power
• Why building community through film matters more than ever

This isn’t just a conversation. It’s a blueprint for using your voice, your art, and your roots to change the world. Come sit at the table.

☕ The coffee is always ready at Theo’s Coffee Break.
🎬 Learn more about Daveed’s work: https://www.instagram.com/slicklgp

Support the show

If you enjoyed this episode, subscribe and follow so you never miss out on one of our coffee break sessions!

Now that we are a listener supported show, you can buy me a coffee and join the Café Crew at buymeacoffee.com/theoscoffeebreak for $5/mon.

Every donation will directly impact our coffee table and our goal here is to build this coffee table together with you.

Do you want to join the coffee table, or know someone who would be a great guest? Send me an email to theoscoffeebreakpodcast@gmail.com

Your voice, input, and curiosity is what shapes this table, and I’m here ready to listen with an open mind. Feel free to reach out via email or find me on Instagram at @theoscoffeebreakpodcast

Thank you for being here with me at our coffee table today. I’m so excited to keep growing this podcast with you: one story, one conversation, and one sip at a time.

So until next time… take good care of yourself. And remember: the coffee’s always on and ready to pour here at Theo’s Coffee Break. But most importantly...

You are always welcome at my coffee table.

What if branding wasn’t just about business, but about planting something meaningful?

In today’s solo episode, we’re diving into what it truly takes to build a brand that feels alive, aligned, and rooted in purpose. From defining your mission to creating an experience people remember, I’ll walk you through 8 essential steps to grow your brand like a garden with care, intention, and patience.

Whether you’re just starting out or refining what you’ve already created, this episode is for the visionaries, creatives, and community builders who want their work to mean something.

Grab your favorite cup, take a sip, and join me at the coffee table.

Support the show

If you enjoyed this episode, subscribe and follow so you never miss out on one of our coffee break sessions!

Now that we are a listener supported show, you can buy me a coffee and join the Café Crew at buymeacoffee.com/theoscoffeebreak for $5/mon.

Every donation will directly impact our coffee table and our goal here is to build this coffee table together with you.

Do you want to join the coffee table, or know someone who would be a great guest? Send me an email to theoscoffeebreakpodcast@gmail.com

Your voice, input, and curiosity is what shapes this table, and I’m here ready to listen with an open mind. Feel free to reach out via email or find me on Instagram at @theoscoffeebreakpodcast

Thank you for being here with me at our coffee table today. I’m so excited to keep growing this podcast with you: one story, one conversation, and one sip at a time.

So until next time… take good care of yourself. And remember: the coffee’s always on and ready to pour here at Theo’s Coffee Break. But most importantly...

You are always welcome at my coffee table.