I was blessed to have the opportunity to have an honest and open conversation with mental health advocate, entrepreneur, and life coach George P Brooks.  George is the founder of METTA Association, a nonprofit organization committed to advocacy and awareness for decriminalizing and destigmatizing that which concerns mental illness.  After discovering his mental illness at a young age, George has dedicated his time to helping others get to the root of their mental illness and the ways that it can be treated.  George is also dedicated to advocating for healthy fatherhood and co-parenting while working with others through divorce trauma.  He is an advocate for mental health in the black community, and especially for black men.  George also has some intriguing plans in the works outside of his nonprofit work.  George's story and insight on mental illness is sure to bring new awareness and empathy to all.

Trigger Warning: This episode contains content about suicide.  Today, I share an eye-opening interview with my brother, Zach Brooks.  Zach shares some major trauma that he has experienced and how he has taken his adversities and turned them into strength.  Zach unfortunately lost two of his dearest friends within months of each other, which brought on strong feelings and many questions.  When he went to take on some serious life changes, he experienced a few speed bumps along the way.   
If you or someone you know are in crisis, call the U.S. National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, a free, 24-hour hotline, at 1.800.273.8255. 

In this episode of our Mental Matters series, I share with you an interview with a dear friend of mine, Kayla.  She shares with us her journey of navigating life with anxiety from childhood to adulthood.  Kayla discovered her feelings of anxiety at a young age, and her journey to becoming ready for therapy aims to inspire and give you guidance.  Realizing you have anxiety, depression, or another mental illness can leave you questioning your value and the validity of the things happening around you.  Kayla does a great job of breaking down those feelings and getting real about when you should seek help.

We are back after taking some time to develop a new series: Mental Matters.  Throughout this series, I will be taking you into the minds and the hearts of people like you... people with unique stories, everyday battles, and accomplishments that have molded them into the individuals they are today.  Mental health has become near and dear to me as I have experienced my own journey through therapy, and I wanted to make this series one of knowledge and hope.  I look forward to sharing my story with therapy and others' mental health journeys as we unpack this series moving forward.  Thank you for your commitment to The Outcasts, and I am so glad to be back behind the mic sharing my truth.

In this episode, we hear the story of Bebe Porpilia, who was adopted by my paternal aunt.  Bebe was the youngest adoptee from our orphanage in Haiti who recently graduated from Anderson University.   We get to know more about her family background and her journey from the orphanage to the states.    

You should always be your biggest supporter and always make sure to surround yourself with the right people that wants to see you win. Our minds are so powerful, and we have to use that to our advantage. We have to believe in our dream, put the work in, then we will become whatever we put our minds to.

I wanted to start a mini-series explaining the meaning behind the title of my podcast.  Believing, becoming, and belonging are three powerful words that are the epitome of my journey, and this journey starts with believing.  Through finding myself, I have had to wholeheartedly believe in the power I hold to own my truth as I work through my story.

Amanda was adopted from China over 25 years ago. Growing up as a transracial adoptee, Amanda has embraced and celebrated both sides of her culture & heritage. She focused heavily on theater, dance, and music artistry before landing a career as a CG Lighter. Amanda is well known for Yuanfen, a short film she created and directed highlighting the adoption process through a child's eyes.  Currently, Amanda stays busy as a CG Lighter, Adoptee Advocate, and Career Coach for Creative Artists.