In this episode, Lisane Basquiat sits down with Ayanna Gregory, singer, dramatist, and activist, to reflect on growing up in a family rooted in the civil rights movement and how those experiences shaped her journey. Ayanna shares stories about her father Dick Gregory, the values of courage and compassion she carries with her, and how she expresses healing and purpose through her creative and community work.

Together, they explore legacy, resilience, and the ongoing practice of finding freedom within yourself. This conversation invites listeners to slow down, listen deeply, and consider how their own lives can be shaped with intention.

In this episode, Lisane Basquiat sits down with Simone Adams, founder of Color My Outdoors, for a conversation about inherited patterns, nervous system regulation, and what it takes to build a life on your own terms.

Simone shares how she went from people-pleasing and grinding to a slower, more intentional life rooted in nature and self-trust. The episode explores how freedom comes through subtraction – letting go of urgency, redefining success, and reconnecting with what actually sustains you.

Lisane also digs into Simone's work with Color My Outdoors, a grassroots nonprofit creating access and belonging for people of color in outdoor spaces across the South. This one is for anyone ready to listen to what their body already knows.

In this insightful episode of Shaping Freedom, I sit down with Dr. Karmetria Burton — senior leader at McDonald's, founder of the Paint Your Lips Red Foundation, and author of "Never Wear Red Lipstick" — to explore what happens when inherited rules start running your life without permission.

Dr. Karmetria breaks down how limiting beliefs quietly become the new normal, why waiting for external validation keeps people stuck, and what she calls "the heart work" — the courage to examine patterns that no longer serve.

We also talk about why leadership begins wherever you're standing right now, how to stop waiting for someone else to save you, and what it actually takes to turn old limitations into new possibilities.

In this inspiring episode of Shaping Freedom, I sit down with Shavone Charles — cultural strategist, creator, and former global head of multicultural communications at TikTok — to talk about what it means to own your value in rooms that weren't built for you.

Shavone reflects on her journey through Twitter, Instagram, and TikTok, the responsibility creatives have to their communities, and why the room becomes special when you walk into it.

We also get into collective well-being, cultural accountability, and what it takes to leave a chapter at its peak to build something new.

In this episode, Lisane Basquiat sits down with global fitness coach, content creator, and mother Britany Williams for an honest conversation about identity, motherhood, wellness, and the pressure women face to “bounce back.” Britany opens up about her journey—from being diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis at 13, to becoming a competitive runner, climbing the corporate ladder at Under Armour, and eventually stepping into fitness and content creation full-time.

In this episode of the Shaping Freedom podcast, Lisane Basquiat and Ingrid Best explore how teenage motherhood shaped extraordinary purpose. From Oakland streets to global wine portfolios, Best reveals how Africa unlocked her identity, birthing IBest Wines. Both women share young motherhood experiences and refusing to shrink.

As 2025 comes to a close, Lisane Basquiat and Billy Johnson reflect on a year marked by growth, challenge, and transformation. This special wrap-up episode revisits some of the most impactful conversations of the year, exploring what it truly means to shape freedom in our lives, families, and communities. Drawing from powerful guest insights, the episode invites listeners to examine citizenship as an active practice, emotional honesty, boundaries, grief, legacy, and the courage required to evolve.

Throughout the conversation, Lisane highlights recurring themes from the season: regulating emotions instead of suppressing them, recognizing burnout before it takes hold, setting boundaries with love, and doing the internal work necessary to break generational cycles. Guests share wisdom on grief as a lifelong companion, the power of telling the truth in relationships, and the importance of pairing faith or intention with meaningful action.

In this episode of Shaping Freedom, Lisane Basquiat sits down with Jasmine LeFlore—aerospace engineer, MBA, nonprofit founder, and beacon of representation in STEM. Growing up in Flint, Michigan, Jasmine transformed childhood curiosity and family affirmations into a career bridging engineering, leadership, and impact.

Jasmine shares her journey from watching airplanes above her home to earning degrees from Michigan and Purdue, and ultimately leading applied research at Collins Aerospace. She opens up about navigating identity and resilience while carving space as a woman of color in a male-dominated field.

The conversation explores Jasmine's nonprofit, Greater Than Tech, which equips underserved youth—especially girls—with STEM and entrepreneurship skills to build solutions, not just compete. With honesty, Jasmine reflects on unlearning rigid systems, embracing intuition and compassionate leadership, and creating opportunities for the next generation.

This episode reveals what it truly means to lead with humanity, authenticity, and vision.

In this powerful follow-up conversation, Lisane Basquiat sits down once again with author, speaker, and coach Antonio Neves to explore what life looks like after an awakening moment.

Antonio shares the deeply personal story of losing his home in the California wildfires and how this unexpected tragedy forced him to redefine success, re-evaluate his priorities, and truly live one day at a time.

In this episode, Lisane Basquiat speaks with Dr. Dawna Ballard—associate professor, chronemics expert, and author of Time by Design—about the truth behind our culture’s fixation on speed. Dr. Ballard explains how urgency culture impacts our communication, our bodies, and our relationships, and why slowing down is essential for clarity, connection, and sustainable progress.

They explore the difference between fast and slow communication design, the physical cost of rushing, and practical steps for redesigning your relationship with time. If you’ve ever felt overextended or stuck in “go mode,” this conversation offers grounded insight on how slowing down can actually help you move forward more effectively.

In this powerful episode of Shaping Freedom, host Lisane Basquiat sits down with Dr. ShantaQuilette Develle — a wellness educator, content creator, and heart health advocate whose journey of resilience has inspired millions.

She talks openly about facing a heart attack and multiple strokes, the ego she had to shed, and the moment she chose to listen to her body and her faith instead of pushing through the pain.

Her message is clear: healing happens through habits, boundaries, accountability, and the courage to participate in your own rescue.

In this inspiring episode of Shaping Freedom, host Lisane Basquiat sits down with award-winning journalist, producer, and host Shameika Rhymes — the creative force behind Check the Rhymes TV and Soul Liberation on BlackDoctor.org. Together, they dive into what it means to build your own table in media, stay authentic in storytelling, and embrace wellness while pursuing purpose.

In this episode of Shaping Freedom, host Lisane Basquiat sits down with Nigerian-born artist Jeremiah Onifade, whose work transforms survival into powerful visual storytelling. Jeremiah opens up about fleeing religious violence at 13, sleeping on concrete floors for eight months, and arriving in America with $200 and a dream he refused to abandon.

Together, Lisane and Jeremiah explore themes of hunger, resilience, vision, and reinvention—from teenage hustle at cyber cafes to cutting boats in front of live audiences. This conversation is more than an artist's origin story; it's a blueprint for building from nothing, dreaming without permission, and measuring success one courageous step at a time.

In this episode of Shaping Freedom, host Lisane Basquiat sits down with legendary photographer and cultural archivist Johnny Nunez, whose lens has defined how the world sees hip-hop and modern Black excellence. Johnny opens up about his childhood in Brooklyn, facing racism, learning empathy, and how those lessons shaped the integrity and heart he brings to every photograph.

Together, Lisane and Johnny explore themes of faith, resilience, love, and legacy — from life-changing encounters and divine guidance to the discipline of never betraying trust for fame. This conversation is more than a look behind the camera; it’s a masterclass in grace, gratitude, and purpose.

In this episode of Shaping Freedom, Lisane Basquiat sits down with Hill Harper—award-winning actor, author, and activist—for an intimate conversation about purpose, legacy, and living with intention. From Harvard Law to Hollywood to public service, Hill’s life reflects a constant evolution rooted in service and meaning. Together, we explore fatherhood, emotional wealth, and the shift from chasing success to creating significance. He shares his philosophy of “sequential mastery,” the value of failure as growth, and his drive to build a legacy of impact through art and action.

In this Shaping Freedom podcast episode, host Lisane Basquiat speaks with Rob and Emilee McGowan about losing their five-year-old son Myles to brain cancer in 2008 and the unexpected isolation that followed. The McGowans share why friends disappeared after their loss—overwhelmed by guilt, fear, and helplessness rather than lack of caring. Emilee explains why asking "how can I help?" often fails and what actually helps: showing up with specific, consistent actions without being asked. The couple discusses how real isolation begins months after loss when everyone returns to normal life, and how they founded Myles Ahead of Cancer and Diving Within to support families facing childhood cancer and couples navigating difficult conversations.

In this inspiring episode of Shaping Freedom, host Lisane Basquiat sits down with award-winning producer, journalist, and filmmaker Susanna Peredo Swap—a cultural force dedicated to uplifting San Diego’s creative community. Susanna shares her powerful journey from surviving a childhood spinal cord injury and growing up as the daughter of a young immigrant mother, to becoming the founder of Vanguard Culture, a nonprofit championing the region’s creative workforce.

In this episode, Lisane sits down with Dr. Andrea Best—holistic psychiatrist, physician, and recipient of the President’s Lifetime Achievement Award. Dr. Best blends neuroscience, ancestral wisdom, and integrative medicine to help people move from stress and burnout into clarity, vitality, and purpose.

In this episode, Lisane Basquiat sits down with KJ Rose—Grammy Award-winning performance director, author, and founder of The Rose Effect. KJ shares her journey from stage fright to working with icons like Janet Jackson and Justin Timberlake, and how she now helps people step into their power.