Speaker 1: 0:07

Welcome to Speak Up International with Rita Burke and Elton Brown.

Speaker 2: 0:13

Today we are speaking with a special person whose name is Queen D Michelle. Michelle, she's an author, a retired teacher, who packed her bags and moved to Mexico in 2017 when she realized that she needed to supplement her pension. Now, as we say on Speak Up International, there are usually so many things that should be said about one of our guests, but we prefer if they tell their stories, and so welcome to Speak Up International. Queen V Michelle, thank you, and she will tell us the remainder of her story. Thank you for joining us.

Speaker 3: 0:57

Thank you. I'm honored to be here and appreciate having an opportunity to share my story. And you're absolutely right. It started pretty much when I retired from teaching. I'm 27 years, I'm an upper elementary, middle school teacher and after 27 years I tried to do 30. I was going to do 30 and out, but when I got to that 27th year, those three years seemed like an eternity. So I went ahead and retired.

Speaker 3: 1:34

Now, when I first retired, I quickly realized that I was going to have to continue to work to supplement my pension. And it was cool. I was having fun, I was doing things I'd never done before. I had some of the coolest jobs. I became an Uber driver, oh, and I drove a shuttle for a railroad company and I took engineers and conductors to and from their trains. I did some online curriculum design work. I was having a ball just doing these different things I've never done before and I said hey. After a while I was like, hey, wait a minute, I will always have to do this. I would always have to supplement my pension. There would never be enough and I was way too young for social security and even if I was, it wouldn't be enough. I would have to have that and work. And so when you get a certain thought in your mind and you start setting intentions, the universe will put things in front of you.

Speaker 3: 2:36

And what came before me was the International Living article the top 10 places to retire. Now, this was back in 2016 and it were places like Costa Rica, mexico, panama, thailand, colombia. Both were places and I researched them all, but Mexico was the one that checked all the boxes for me, and that was because number one, I was living in Atlanta when I retired, and a plane ride from Guadalajara to Atlanta is three and a half hours nonstop. Three and a half hours nonstop. So number one location was pretty pretty close. So number one location was pretty, pretty close.

Speaker 3: 3:24

And then the second thing was climate. Now, the area that I moved in was called, and is called, lake Chapala. Now, see, it's in the state of Jalisco. Mexico has 32 states, 32 states. Jalisco State houses the largest freshwater lake in the country of Mexico and it's called Lake Chapala. Now, surrounding that lake are little towns and villages, and on the north shore of that lake is the largest expat community in the country of Mexico. The largest expat community in the country of Mexico. See, that's where a lot of Americans and Canadians are living and they figured it out where their dollars are stretching more. And then they're living in gorgeous weather. Now, as far as the climate in Lake Chapala, it was voted by National Geographic the second best weather in the world, and that's because it's eternally spring. Now it's a dry spring and a wet spring, but it's spring nonetheless.

Speaker 3: 4:34

And then the third thing that checked the box for me was the expat community. I was able to leave my country, go to another country and land very softly amongst expats. You would think, oh, you have to know how to speak Spanish. Not necessarily it's good to know how to speak Spanish, of course, but in Lake Chapala, on that North Shore, it's the largest expat community and expats there are pretty catered to, but these are retired, these are retired individuals, so they are living their best life, as I was.

Speaker 1: 5:11

Like you guys, were living your best life. You moved to Mexico in 2017. So what were the biggest lessons you learned after making that move?

Speaker 3: 5:26

Well, here's the thing I didn't realize how distracted I really was from me, from my wellbeing, from my mind, body and soul, until I had an opportunity, because I'm in this wonderful place that I can now turn and discover me, and I've been. In doing that, I discovered so many things that was already there, that I didn't know I had. It was a beautiful awakening of me being introduced to me through meditation, of me being introduced to me through meditation, through yoga, through hiking, through friendships, through writing. I started writing, matter of fact, in my first book. My first book was Considerations, a Guide for Moving Abroad.

Speaker 2: 6:19

I don't want to interrupt you, but I want to move to the books, because our next question has to do with your books, and it seems to me as if Mexico, lake Chapala, was the place to be, or is the place to be. It seems to have made quite a mark on your life, and I like that. So my next question was going to be about books you've written.

Speaker 3: 6:42

Tell us about those books. That's where everything was birthed. Right from there, I didn't see myself as an author or anything, but this is what happened when I was researching, and that's the main thing when one is taking on such a, it has to move, it has to be calculated. And I started researching and one of the threads I was following was a YouTube channel called Jerry Brown Travels. Jerry Brown Travels. He lives in Mexico and he was. He had all these wonderful videos and I was following him and following Facebook groups and following threads, and when I was had just been there, maybe four months I was in a cell phone place.

Speaker 3: 7:27

I looked up and there was Jerry Brown walking across the street. I said wait a minute. I ran out there. I said, hey, I know you and we had the greatest conversation and he wanted to interview me. And so, in doing so, he started getting oh man, I tell you that one interview, and I'm more than likely because I'm a woman of color and I was, of course, probably the first and only woman of color that he had interviewed and it sparked so many questions. And then I started trying to answer them all and I said wait a minute let me I can put this together because I document it.

Speaker 3: 8:06

I always take copious notes. I had already written the book Considerations, A Guide for Moving Abroad. I had in a sense in my head, cause I had all the notes, so that's where the book was birthed. It's 10 chapters. Each chapter is a consideration Consider visas, Consider downsizing, Consider health care, Consider transportation, those kind of things. And it was a really easy, quick read. People started buying it and loving it and more questions came and next thing I know I was consulting and had a little concierge. I was having a ball and had a little concierge. I was having a ball those four years. I lived in Mexico for four years Now, even after considerations, a guy for moving abroad. I started a blog called Flowing and Growing. Now that came out of the next book I wrote, which is Traveling Home Together. Now Traveling Home Together is based on pretty much my awakening of self and in that book and that's only eight chapters, but in that book I guide people, or I take them, on this meaty, metaphoric journey inward. I want.

Speaker 1: 9:32

I encourage people to move inward and that any and everything you ever, ever wanted to know is within, not without. How do you take that information, what they have, inward and help them deal with the cultural differences that people have to adapt when they move from one country to another, in this case, mexico?

Speaker 3: 9:50

See, here's the thing If people move to another country with the wrong mindset, if I went to Mexico expecting Mexico to be like America, what cultural shock would I experience? See again, research helped me to understand. I'm leaving the country. They have a different language, they have a different government, everything is different. So it's all about expectations and cultural shock. That's on them because you're a grown person at this point. So, whatever mixed views you had about what Mexico is, your understanding of what living in that culture is, it's your responsibility to take that deep dive for an understanding of where you're going to live. And if someone doesn't do that, then shame on them. I'm going to go over there because I could spend my money better. And then you go over there with that mentality. You're not going to fare well with adapting to the culture.

Speaker 2: 10:58

It sounds to me as if you poured a lot into those books, into your writings, and they were enriching experiences for you as well. Absolutely, tell us about your connection to Africa.

Speaker 3: 11:13

Yes, ancestry. You ever heard of Ancestrycom? Right, if you were to take that DNA test, they would tell you you're a little bit of this, you're a little bit of that, your region's over there. But over 20 years ago a group of Black scientists got together and they created the largest database of Black blood in the world. It's called africanancestrycom. Now you take that DNA test. Not only will it tell you, out of the 54 solvent countries, what country your bloodline originated in, it'll also tell you your tribe. So I took that DNA test and I discovered that I am Fula from Guinea-Bissau, west Africa. Now I took it on my mother's. I took the maternal DNA test, but you can take the maternal, you can take the paternal. Now, people who take that DNA test, they'll find that their country of origin is probably along that western coast of Africa, because, of course, that's where the slave trade took place.

Speaker 3: 12:27

In discovering that, I did another deep dive research about Guinea-Bissau. I wanted to know about the place where my ancestor was taken from See, because that means that my mother's mother, going back anywhere from 200 to 250 years, survived the passage. She didn't die on the ship, she didn't jump off the ship, she wasn't killed on the ship. She survived the passage. Now, when she got here, she got mixed with a whole lot of other stuff, of course, through breeding and rape, and that's why you hear people say I'm part Indian, your original pure bloodline is that from the continent, the continent of Africa. So she made it.

Speaker 3: 13:19

Through my research, I came across Guinea-Bissau because there are several countries in Africa who are participating in repatriation. If you can show through DNA maternal, through DNA period, that your bloodline originated in that country, you can apply for citizenship. And I did while I'm getting ahead of myself. So when I found Guinea-Bissau, when I found Repat Guinea-Bissau, this was like a tour as well. So through that tour, they had arranged for me, when I came to visit, for me to step foot in my ancestral village.

Speaker 1: 14:01

Wow, full of my 60th birthday ancestral village, wow, full of my 60th birthday. That is amazing, and I want to know how did you feel when you made this discovery and actually have your feet where your ancestors most possibly walked Were.

Speaker 3: 14:21

Absolutely. It's the bringing back. When I stepped foot there every a nonprofit organization called Fula History and Genealogy Society in America. Now my website is fulaamericanorg. Now, if you were to go to that website, I got a real treat for you. If you were to go to that website and to click on my soul's journey. There's a blog that I kept. I am a writer and I document film. You know these events that happened in my life. Of that blog, you will see the video of me stepping foot for the first time and being welcomed into the arms of my ancestors' people, my people. It is thrilling when I see it every time I see it, because it's like I fell into their arms and they surrounded me. They wiped tears from my face and welcomed me home.

Speaker 2: 15:49

I see and feel pure joy in your tone, in your manner, in your tenor, on your face as you speak about that experience in Africa. It must have been truly enriching for you and I see the joy on your face. Let's change tones a little bit. I'd like to hear more and talk about ancestral trauma, because I think that's included in your value as well. Talk to us about that.

Speaker 3: 16:18

Absolutely. Now, see, that's part of the organization that I, my nonprofit, one of the tenants, tenant number one is to just raise awareness about generational trauma. Raise awareness about generational trauma because we don't know. So I wanted to bring an awareness as to what it is, and I want to awareness as to what it is and I want to first of all, just talk about what is trauma.

Speaker 3: 16:58

Trauma is a deeply distressing or disturbing experience. That's trauma, right, a deeply distressing or disturbing experience. Now, those experiences, the deeply distressing and disturbing one, over time results in neurosis, neurosis. Now, what is neurosis? Neurosis is a mental condition, that's right, A mental condition not caused by any organic disease, and those symptoms of that is like stress, depression, anxiety, obsessive behavior, ptsd. Now, there's levels of that and we all have neurosis. We do. If you've lived, if you've experienced a deeply distressing and disturbing experiences in this life, yes, you have a form of neurosis. Now, although these are not a radical loss with a touch with reality, it's still a form of neurosis. It's still a mental illness, correct? Now, generational trauma Now, let's put generational trauma to that.

Speaker 3: 18:06

Generational trauma is the transference of traumatic experiences or stressors from one generation to the next, through DNA, from one generation to the next through DNA. So one might ask themselves what traumatic experiences or stressors was transferred to us through DNA from our ancestors? What traumatic experience or stressors did they experience? Generational trauma is the harmful effects of historical mistreatment or abuse. The symptoms of these traumas are passed down from generation to generation. See, we're still holding DNA. We're holding that because DNA, dna. I have a little film, five-minute film, because it's hard to explain DNA and the importance of it and how it's connected and it's very scientific. But I have it broke down for kids, okay.

Speaker 1: 19:29

So you have a blog my Soul's Journey I guess that's basically what it's called and you, because it talks about what you are discussing right now, which is generational trauma. So what are some key insights that you were able to gain through your blog? Because a lot of people are not going to understand what is DNA, how all of that, how that all fits together. So I'm taking a leap of faith here and say that most people that probably were on your blog were not from the medical profession, so they were looking for someone to guide them through this educational journey, which happens to be generational trauma. So what did people admit? Without saying their names, of course, but what did people admit? What did people find out about the generational trauma that they experienced? And they probably didn't even know it until it was addressed by you or someone else.

Speaker 3: 20:42

That's just it. It's such a huge take on I have been. My sole contract with the ancestors is to simply plant seeds and water plants for New Earth Living. I'm planting seeds, so I'm going to pick up on that and that's all I'm here. I'll probably never see the harvest of it.

Speaker 3: 21:04

But here's the thing that I truly believe If trauma is passed, is transferred or passed down through generations, so can healing, so can healing, the simple awareness. If drama can be passed down, healing can be passed up. And this one little thing I say that every family needs that one son or daughter that speaks their mind, doesn't like being told what to do and is low-key healing. The generational trauma that no one seems to be aware of. Only thing you know, you can do is enlighten them, to bring it into their awareness Now, what they do after. That's their journey, their path, their lesson. I'm simply planting seeds because I cannot correct their generational trauma, but they can, and it starts with just knowledge and awareness that it's there, an acceptance of it, that this is something generational and, as that takes place, that growing sense of one's true self, that's healing. Generational curses are broken and then the expansion of consciousness in the awareness of our ancestry and our beingness. It's inevitable. It'll happen on its own.

Speaker 1: 22:28

So how can someone who has experienced generational trauma, how do they go about finding out that they've had this trauma, the realization, Everybody has it. And then, on top of that, how do they begin healing? I'm assuming that everyone heals differently. No one heals the same. What are some of the ways that people can begin healing generational trauma?

Speaker 3: 23:00

Here's the thing it's, everybody's journey is different, right, it's, everybody's journey is different, right? Once you become aware what takes place within the DNA and within your family line. It's, it is individual, but I can say this take, for instance, my people, my native tongue, my, my native tongue is Pular. Now, I'll never speak it, but just knowing that's what it is, it's a game changer. It's a game changer. So let's just start with finding out who we are sending again, sending them within themselves. All the answers are within. And so how would you tell somebody, how does somebody begin healing from generational trauma? They, first and foremost, have to admit that they have it and that it exists, and then, second, from there, they begin doing research, or at least trying to study who they are. That's where the healing begins, is finding out who you are, who you truly are, and you don't find that out until you go inside.

Speaker 2: 24:09

I suspect that connecting to one's roots. The Sankofa bird talks about going back to find out, and there's a saying and I'm sure you're aware of things that if you don't know your roots, then you are not moving forward, and a tree without roots or plant without roots will not prosper. And so I see the importance. There's no question about it, no question going back to find out, but a lot of people they don't have to go back.

Speaker 3: 24:45

everybody's not going to be able of people.

Speaker 2: 24:46

They don't have to go back, everybody's not going to be able to go and they don't have the energy and the drive and the motivation. Perhaps it's because they don't see the value and benefit of it, but I hear you loudly there. On Speak Up International, we seek to inform, to inspire and to educate, and we're doing that right now by listening to Queen Michelle tell her story and talk about her experiences. And you've been involved with curriculum development. Talk to us, share with us some of the details of that, please.

Speaker 3: 25:23

Okay, and again, this came from. I think this is part of the healing that took place. One of the second tenants of my nonprofit organization is to create, promote and establish educational materials for the enhancement of sense of self in Generation Alpha. Now I'm going to tell you a little bit about who Generation Alpha is. Okay Because that's my curriculum.

Speaker 3: 25:58

Generation Alpha is born between 2010 and 2024. They are the children of the millennials and some exes who got in the game late. They are the first generation to be born fully in the 21st century. They're the most materially endowed generation ever. Now. The oldest turned 13 last year. The oldest of that generation turned 13 last year.

Speaker 3: 26:29

Now, understand, when I and they will one day be the phone went in the hand at infancy, you understand they were swiping up and down and back and engaging externally from birth, basically from birth, and they are wired completely different. They are wired completely different. I'm talking about Beyonce's kids, nick Cannon kids and my grandson who's six, and if you have grandchildren, that's in that age. They are generation alpha and just the name alone. Alpha is strong, beginning, beginning. They are, and so we have to what we've. Their influences are none of the influences that any of the prior generations have had Get. The neglect of not balancing all this external see they are external stimuli has always been pretty much the way that they learn, and so what we didn't do was give them a balance of emotional intelligence to navigate. These Generation Alpha are in spaces and in platforms free from parental influence. They are in spaces and in platforms that their parents don't even understand. They are going where we're not going. We are not going where they're going. However, we are responsible for equipping them with the tools that they will need, emotionally and socially, to navigate that external world. That's our responsibility. Now, see, remember when we were back, when we were in school, they had classes like home economics and shop and mechanics those things to help us as we grew. There's nothing in place for Generation Alpha for where they're going. You feel me? There's nothing. So the best that we can do is to give them the tools necessary.

Speaker 3: 28:53

So I created 52 Insights for Gen Alpha a conscious curriculum, a conscious curriculum. The curriculum focuses on self-awareness, see, always going back to self, going back to who. You are going back. We have to instill this. The curriculum focuses on self-awareness through activities that foster, here we go, mindfulness, self-management, relationship skills, social awareness and conscious decision-making. Those are the kind of skills that need to be taught, along with math, english and everything else, even if it's just a I used to go to art or go to this. You need to go to a class like that that helps to give you the tools while you're out there in those spaces that we're not how to navigate it, because it's about consciousness now, not home economics. It's about conscious and mindfulness now not shop. You see, it's different and there's nothing in place for them. That's why they're disconnected. That's why they don't know how. Could you imagine being this in your hand from the time it was infancy, and it's all that You've gone to Egypt, cruised the Nile, I have.

Speaker 1: 30:18

So you've talked about these tools that this generation needs in order to be successful. So how did that trip shape your perspective on African history and heritage, since we're talking about tools that they need in order to become?

Speaker 3: 30:41

successful. The thing about that, those tools I'm talking about, in a sense, was always present in Africa. I mean that, one knowing oneself that was. This is what I understood once I visited the cradle of civilization, once I visited the motherland. What I realized is these things were already present, but we were disconnected from it. We were cut off from it. They made sure those practices was nothing that we practiced. They called it witchcraft, they gave it negative connotations Don't do it that way, don't connect with nature, don't calm your mind. And so what they gave us was organized religion. They gave us this, they organized us into this thought, and that was never the way. It was never the way that it was supposed to be. So that's what I got from visiting the motherland.

Speaker 2: 31:42

Every time you talk about the motherland, your features change. I see a sense of pride. Every time you talk about the motherland, your features change. I see a sense of pride, I see a sense of satisfaction, I see the joy, and that is a wonderful thing. You talk about self-awareness. I'm not sure if you're aware of that, but some more questions, some more questions, and I believe you've threaded this response through everything you said as we've been talking. I want for you to talk to our audience about a time when you had to say enough. Could you think of a time in your life when you had to say enough and change directions?

Speaker 3: 32:27

Enough and change directions. Enough and change directions. I guess that would be the time that I retired Enough, or when I decided that I didn't want to work until I can't work anymore and then live substandardly because I wasn't working Enough. I think if that was enough, that was it for me. That was that moment that changed the trajectory of my life was knowing that I had enough and I'm not giving you my life, I don't owe you my life. That was enough. That was enough. I had worked 27 years and gave in to the, to the system, worked hard, even while teaching maybe a couple of jobs here and there, because the teaching pay was never enough. Teachers have second jobs, so I believe that was my enough is once I retired and realized I would have to keep working.

Speaker 1: 33:31

Enough. So you've written multiple books covering travel, which you've already mentioned. Spirituality, yes. Well-being is another, is another one.

Speaker 3: 33:50

So how does being a writer play in your personal journey? I am. I've always loved writing. I've always loved writing. It was right point from. And then, when I taught elementary and middle school, my favorite subject was English. Yes, I've always written, and that's I didn't realize how important journaling is. You know, people say, journal, write it down, journal. But see, this is something that I've always done, so therefore, it was easy for me to document my journeys. I'm a writer, I've always written, I've always written, and we all have our talents, don't we? We have our talents, the things that we like, the things that come easy for us. Writing always came easy for me. I always excelled in journalism. That was my thing, how it came to be, and I never would have explored it like I have. I never would have done what I've done had I not left this country, had I not left, had I continued, if I said you know what I'm just? And gave in to the fact that I needed to. Even though I was retired, I needed to continue to work to pay bills.

Speaker 1: 35:12

You have been very creative in terms of making sure that you had a way, or found a way, to supplement your income, and I want you to talk a little bit about traveling home together, which is a spiritual guidebook. What was the main message that you were hoping, or are hoping that individuals will receive after they've completed reading that guidebook?

Speaker 3: 35:38

Oh. So, listen, traveling home together will resonate with those who are newly awakened or who are awakening. See, it's a really it's not easy Spiritual awakenings. It can be rough, and all I do is help guide them and give them the tools that's necessary in order for them to understand that shift in consciousness that they're experiencing. See, that's what a spiritual awakening is. It's a shift, it's a shift in consciousness spiritual awakening is. It's a shift. It's a shift in consciousness.

Speaker 3: 36:19

Your whole paradigm shifts once you realize the illusion of the matrix and the system and that you are here to do. You are created to do amazing, wonderful things here. We're supposed to have a wonderful life filled with fun and bliss and creating and creation. That's what we're supposed to be doing here, not grinding ourselves into the ground until we can't do anything else. And this traveling home together helps them. To those, like I said, it would only resonate with those who are at that point where they're questioning thing. They're questioning this, well, and they're having these thoughts and they're even physically, they're feeling strange and what's going on with them? They're awakening and right now I'm gonna you there is a mass awakening going on.

Speaker 2: 37:18

Would you say that spiritual awakening can be a very scary thing for some people? Oh, absolutely, once they're questioning what's happening and why and where it's coming from, do you think it's a scary experience? There is no doubt. There is no doubt's a scary experience.

Speaker 3: 37:36

There is no doubt. There is no doubt that it's scary, there is no doubt. And my book is only eight chapters. However, it's so meaty. It's so meaty that I created a workbook to go along with it, so that they can continue doing the exercises and practices that help them maintain bandwidth of frequency, if you will, of consciousness, for that new earth. See, one can live new earth now. New earth that means that you can live, walk, move and have your being in new earth. And new earth is just that state of consciousness that is removed from the matrix. I can observe it, I see it, but I'm not of it. I'm not of it. I'm living new earth. I'm living new earth now and many are awakening to that. They're meeting. What do you?

Speaker 2: 38:39

say Did you coach, you guide you mentor? Who are the they that you work with?

Speaker 3: 38:49

Who are. I don't work personally, I don't coach, I don't mentor or train. In that respect, I put my work out and I promote my book and those who are attracted, that type of work that resonates. I trust the universe will bring all the cooperating components together. I am simply the plant seeds and water plants for new earth living.

Speaker 1: 39:15

Yeah, what advice would you give someone who is just beginning their own spiritual awakening?

Speaker 3: 39:23

Here's the thing you will not experience, or cannot experience, a spiritual awakening unless you meditate. One must be a daily meditator, see, because the thing about going inside, you meet your soul self, see, what's driving right now is that egoic self. Most people are driven by their egoic self. They actually feel like they are their ego, which they are not. The ego has a general purpose, but it's not the general. And going within, meeting your soul self, your hand is gently taken and now you are taught, you are loved, you are guided. You are led, not by your ego. You are loved, you are guided, you are led, not by your ego. Now, your ego is still present. It's just in the backseat, where it needs to be. That's a general purpose. That's a general purpose. But your soul self, that's the one that's aligned with the universe and with you. And if you're led and guided and directed through your soul self, then that's the game changer.

Speaker 3: 40:40

Now, people don't like to meditate, See, you suggest someone. The only suggestion I have is to meditate, and I know meditation can be hard. So I suggest that you start off with a guided meditation. Off with a guided meditation. See, I started meditating seven years ago, oprah and Deepak. They had this 21-day challenge, this 21-day meditation challenge, and so I took that. And after the 21 days was over, I still wanted to go within. I wanted that and there was no one to take me in. More or less so I thought but again, the universe is perfect, they will put things in front of you, and I came across a guided meditation that helped me meet my soul, self. People call it Holy Spirit, higher self. There's so many different names for it and that's not even important. But knowing that is knowing that soul is within, waiting for you, waiting for you so it can teach you, guide you, direct you, love you, protect you.

Speaker 2: 41:58

So, yeah, yes, it's obvious to me that you are in control of a lot of things in your life and that you like yourself, that you enjoy your company. A lot of positive things are stamped and tattooed in your DNA. Yes, tell me, tell us maybe two things that you admire about Queen Michelle. Tell us three things that you admire about Queen Michelle.

Speaker 3: 42:32

The first thing is that I'm not influenced by what people say. Now take, for instance, my name, queen D Michelle. My mother did not name me Queen and she was not pleased when I changed my name to Queen at all. And that was because, let me tell you, when I was teaching this was years ago, because I've been queen for over 20 years now there was a guy who would come into work, come into the school, and every morning he would say to the ladies that he passed in the hallway, good morning queen. And they say good morning Red. And to the guys he would say good morning King. And I thought that was the ladies. But it hit me differently. It hit differently within, and years have passed.

Speaker 3: 43:22

Here I am in living in Las Vegas on my second job. I'm still teaching, but I got a second job and one day I forgot my name tag. I worked at a movie theater ticket booth and I forgot my name tag, and so I took a little piece of tape and I wrote queen on it and I put it on my chest and I'm continuing to work. In a little I don't know 20 something year old manager White guy came up to me. He said hey, you can't have that on your neck. You can't say your name is queen. If it's not, you can't have them call you that. If that's not your name, you have to take that off. Uh-huh, oh, okay, and I took it off. But within that moment, snap, I will be called what I want to be called. And so I legally changed my name.

Speaker 3: 44:15

Now, my name at that time was Donita Michelle Williams. Now Williams was my married name. So I dropped that, I took Michelle and I moved it down to my last name. I took Donita, which I love. That was my given name. I moved it to my middle name and I took the name Queen, hence Queen Demichelle. So it's never letting people be, even my family. I've always been that. I guess you can call me a rebel in a way. When it wasn't right or it didn't feel right, I said something about it, I spoke and I wasn't afraid. I wasn't afraid. I wasn't afraid to leave Detroit and move to Las Vegas and live there for 11 years. I wasn't afraid to leave Vegas and move to Atlanta and teach there for a couple of years before I retired. I wasn't afraid to move to Mexico, to another country. I wasn't afraid to go to Africa. You see, that that's it. That's what I like about myself. I'm fearless.

Speaker 1: 45:32

And fearless you are. Thank you. I want to talk a little bit about, or ask you to talk a little bit about, the road to well-being and you talk about there's these six aspects of wellness, and so what are some of the practical steps one can take to achieve balance in their lives?

Speaker 3: 45:57

Okay, see, there are six aspects that make up the totality of our well-being. Those six aspects and you're very familiar with them spiritual, emotional, mental, physical, social and financial. Physical, social and financial those six aspects make up the totality of our well-being, correct? Now each one of those aspects can be healthy or unhealthy, so there's a balance that one needs to have within those. Now let me give you an example of spiritual.

Speaker 3: 46:40

A good characteristic, a quality, would be that a spiritual person has a deep they feel, a deep conscious connection to all. That is An unhealthy aspect would be they're an overthinker when it comes to spirituality. Emotionally, a healthy one they're some of the most honest people you will ever meet. An unhealthy one low self-esteem. That's emotional. Let's talk about mental. Unhealthy mental would be easily distracted. Healthy mental would be open-minded, and open-mindedness and a respect of contrast. One has to respect the contrast that shows up in your life daily, right? Respect the contrast that shows up in your life daily, right?

Speaker 3: 47:37

Physically, a healthy one. A healthy aspect, one of the characteristics they would be mindful of their gate your nose, gate your mouth, when do you put those gates? A healthy spirit, physical aspect would be mindful of that. An unhealthy would be out of shape. Physically out of shape Now socially, health wise, you're involved and connected. Unhealthy you're materialistic. Financial healthy living within their means. Financially Unhealthy the working poor, that's a whole class the working poor there are. In that book I go over all the healthiness, how to recognize the healthy aspects, the unhealthy, and then I give some examples, information and places they can go to gather additional information so that they can find balance in their lives.

Speaker 1: 49:09

Today, you provided our audience a little bit about yourself, life in Mexico and abroad, how important African ancestry is to individuals of color if they really want to find out their true ancestry. And your writing and blogging and spiritual awakening was another aspect of you that we talked about. And education and empowering the next generation, talking about Gen Alpha what are their needs and what do they need to focus on, and what do we need to do to help them focus on their spiritual well-being and also our personal growth. So I want to thank you so much for being with us this afternoon. We really did appreciate everything that you've imparted and when you write your next book, please let us know so that we can have yet another conversation. Arita, is there something that you'd like to say?

Speaker 2: 50:22

I just want to reiterate what you have said to our guest today, Queen D, Michelle, and I want to say that the one thing that resonates as a matter of fact, everything you've said I found enriching and you've poured your wisdom and your knowledge into me. I appreciate that about naming oneself and having the agency to determine who you want to be and where you want to go with your life will continually ring a bell for me. So I thank you, thank you, thank you.

Speaker 4: 51:07

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Speaker 4: 53:13

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