Posted on in Travelers Abroad Speak series

Travelers Abroad Speak Mini Blog Series Part 1: Meet VAYUNAMU!

Hello Renrenspeakers! Happy Saturday, the last day of the month, and the FIRST of the five interviews in the Travelers Abroad Speak mini blog series officially launched TODAY! Are yall as excited as I am to delve into the world of travel these next few weeks? I hope so! The first person kicking us off with this exciting new series is my good sis, Vayunamu. As per usual, I must give a quick snapshot of our relationship before continuing to read about her travel journey.

Vayunamu is one of the coolest souls that you will ever meet, seriously. She is a model, a fashion icon, and a girl never hesitant to take a risk. I distinctly remember meeting her at a Noname concert, as my friend group and her friend group were the last two groups sticking around to see if we could meet Noname. I think Vayunamu ended up leaving right before Noname came out (which fun fact, I actually did get to meet her). But I remember as we waited in the dark grassy area somewhere in Downtown San Diego at the back of where the concert was held, we bonded about being a part of the African Student Association (ASA), fashion, and other things. Since then, we have made many memories such as discovering various aesthetically pleasing parts of San Diego and joining forces in social events for ASA. She is a woman who is well-traveled, so I am very thrilled for yall to learn more about the places she has discovered on this earth.

Irene: What is your name/pronouns?

Vayunamu: Vayunamu Bawa, she/her

Irene: Give us a quick synopsis of who YOU ARE! 

Vayunamu: My name is Vayunamu, meaning “gift of God”, and I’m 25. I’m from Abuja so I’m a Nigerian girl with a Nigerian passport (that needs to be said) and I like to travel and see things in new and different ways. I’m a Christian, I love my personal spiritual relationship with God, and I love people. My favorite color is yellow, I love everything creative, and I’ve managed to turn my passions for writing and photography into income sources. For the past 2 years I’ve been a digital nomad + slow traveler = slowmad. I’m just a girl.

Irene: What country/countries have you been to?

Vayunamu: UK, US, Mexico, Gambia, UAE

Irene: What is your favorite country visited thus far, and why?

Vayunamu: This is kind of hard to answer but I’ve lived in both the US and Mexico so those win because being able to spend an extended amount of time in those countries allowed me to get to know them deeply.

Irene: Let’s throw it back down memory lane for a second! How did we meet?

Vayunamu: We met in San Diego while we were both in university! I can’t remember when exactly but it was either:

  • Through university collaboration: We went to different schools but were both on the boards of our respective African student organizations, so we connected to plan some activities to get our groups to meet and network.
  • At a Noname concert: Some of the Black people that went to the show started talking after because we were waiting to get a photo with her and I think that’s when Irene and I got to talk.

Irene: What is a salient memory that you hold of me and you in the U.S.?

Vayunamu: Very sad to say that we have not traveled abroad together (yet!) so my memory is from the US. When I used to live there, we hung out a lot and did a lot of fun things so it’s hard to pick one. I’d say it’s us treating ourselves to nice brunches whenever we can just to chat about what’s going on in our lives and live in the moment.

Irene: Can you speak to one of your most memorable experiences for a particular country that you’ve visited?

Vayunamu: I once met someone in Mexico City who immediately invited me to join them at a nice resort in Baja California Sur because they had a +1 for a work trip. It was a great weekend at an all-inclusive place and I only brought my backpack (no laptop!) so I could read and enjoy the serenity. I was weirdly lucky because I had just come back from a solo vacation less than a month ago in Playa del Carmen.

Irene: What are some cultural barriers and cultural highlights that you have experienced during your time abroad?

Vayunamu: On cultural barriers, I’ll say a difference in values. Traveling and meeting people and trying to get things done means basically being at the mercy of whatever the value system is in that place. All societies have their way of relating to time, commitments, relationships, efficiency, etc., so wherever I am, whether I like it or not, I just have to get used to it and change my expectations. This has an additional challenge of not always fitting in and trying to maintain my own personal compass.

The main cultural highlight that I’ve experienced in every single place, probably every city I’ve gone to, is that there is so much goodness out there. Solo traveling, especially as a Black woman, requires hyper-awareness when it comes to my surroundings, but I’ve honestly learned to lean into the good I’ve experienced and trust that there’ll never be a shortage of it. Just the day before I wrote this, I was stranded in a new city, no cash or card, no phone service, and I needed to pay a taxi driver and some guy in a grocery store helped me. From time to time, something odd like that will happen to me or someone else and there’s always a kind of trust and willingness to help. There are endless bad stories and narratives, especially online, but in real life I think most people are just trying to take care of themselves and do whatever they need to do to get through the day, so they generally operate from a good or at least neutral position.

I also think that being a person transcends every type of category that we place ourselves in and that makes it easier to feel at home wherever you are. Despite nationality, ethnicity, social class, etc. we all have so much in common and it just takes one serious conversation to uncover that and bond with a person.

Irene: What have you learned about yourself through traveling abroad?

Vayunamu: I’ve always seen myself as a strong person but I’ve learned that I’m capable of even more than I think and I can deal with anything that life throws at me. Traveling puts you in all kinds of situations and literally pushes you to the wall so many times that you learn to push the wall itself. And when you get to that point, you uncover a whole new layer of yourself. So I just keep peeling my back layers.

I’ve also learned that nothing is ever that serious. Things aren’t that complicated to me anymore—life is what it is and every single second is a gift.

Irene: Any advice, gems, or words of encouragement for someone who is new to traveling or is looking to broaden their travel experience?

Vayunamu: The first would be to slow down! I’ve been doing the slow-mad thing mainly because it is a logistical nightmare to have to apply for visas for every single place I want to visit, but it’s been such a gift. It’s so nice to be able to go beyond the surface and experience a destination deeply—I think it’s better than breezing through a place and leaving before you’re able to really take something from the experience.

The second would be to start small if you’re scared or unsure. No one needs to cross an ocean before they say they’re a traveler. All it takes to start exploring is going to the next neighborhood, town, city, state, etc., and doing your best to see it with curious, unassuming eyes.

Irene: Can folks connect with you to learn more about you/support you? If so, please drop your social media info down below!

Vayunamu:

  1. https://www.instagram.com/vaybawa/
  2. https://instagram.com/vaysplace
  3. Irene said I could drop a payment link too so here: https://paypal.me/vaybawa

TRAVEL SNAPSHOTS

Below are some travel highlights that Vayunamu has documented during her time abroad!

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Oh my goodness, what a FUN post to read, am I right Renrenspeakers? First, can we just take a moment to recognize that Vayunamu is a gorgeous gift of God and an exemplary writer?? Also, these photos totally belong in a travel magazine. Riding on a hot air balloon is definitely something I would love to try one day. Vay, your memory of us meeting was close, but mine was slightly better. 😉 The fact that we have not traveled abroad together is kind of ridiculous because we would totally be a dynamic travel duo. I am almost done with school, so let’s make it happen soon. 🙂 And, I LOVE the term you coined, a slowmad. I have never heard of that before, but it is definitely a term to add to my repertoire.

Thanks for tuning into the blog today, Renrenspeakers! Keep watch of your email notifications and stay plugged in on the Renrenspeaks Instagram page for the next post dropping next Saturday, October 7th for Part 2 of my Travelers Abroad Speak mini blog series! Keep your notes memo open for another location to jot down on your destination travel bucket list!

Peace and love,

Irene

Posted on in Travelers Abroad Speak series

Travelers Abroad Speak – Mini Blog Series LOADING!

Hello Renrenspeakers! Happy almost end of September! You know what I have been thinking about lately? TRAVELING. I had a few quick in-state/across-states trips these past few weeks, but I have not been out of the country since 2020. I definitely got caught with the travel blues, missing my adventures abroad as these photo memories of places I have been to such as Ghana and Mexico keep popping up in my photo album. To relive my nostalgia for travel, I have a FUN and EXCITING new series that I am starting! Yall miss the Renrenspeaks themed series, right? It has been a while, so I am blessing yall with another one. 😉

I present to yall the Travelers Abroad Speak mini blog series coming yalls way! Starting THIS SATURDAY, I will be posting every week for five weeks about various travel abroad journeys from some of my favorite, most inspiring people that I know. These lovely individuals are all so willing and thrilled to share their travel stories and have a ton of experience out of the country that they are ready to tell yall about. This is a series that I have been thinking about doing for a while, so I am ecstatic that it is finally happening! I hope that through each story, yall find a new spot on the world map that you can add to your bucket list.

Stay tuned to the series to come! Each blog interview will be posted every Saturday starting September 30th until the end of October! Grab yall’s world maps and start pinning locations to visit as we go through the mini blog series!

Also fun fact – the cover photo is a picture of me in Accra, Ghana when I went to visit an arts district with my study abroad bestie/personal photographer! ❤

Peace and love,

Irene

Posted on in graduate school, occupational therapy

Back At It Again With Fieldwork: First Week Wrap Up!

Hello Renrenspeakers! I hope that all is well! How are yall doing? Happy official start of FALL! The weather here in AZ is finally about 95-100 degrees, which is basically equivalent to a 70 degree day in San Diego 😉 I have had a BUSY month of September, let me tell you! Every week has been jam-packed with fun and entertainment. I went back home to San Diego over the Labor Day weekend to visit my family, and then I went on a roomie trip/staycation the following week, and THEN my bestie came to visit me for a few days and we did a 24-hour staycation/day trip to Sedona the following weekend. During this time, I was wrapping up getting IRB approval for my capstone project implementation starting in January, completing my two classes, and compiling my final capstone paper while prepping for my clinical rotations. It has been a whirlwind of a month, and I cannot believe how fast it went by!

One important update about my busy life is that I am back to working full time (for free LOL) doing my second clinical rotation required of me to graduate from OT school. Also side note yall – I am finally graduating NEXT YEAR can you believe that I have 9 months left of school, yahoo! Anyway, I have left the world of pediatrics and entered the world of adults. I am currently placed in an inpatient rehabilitation setting, so I am doing my internship at a rehab hospital. I have officially completed one week of fieldwork in my new setting, and let me tell you, it is SO different than my first rotation. So far, I am really liking and enjoying my new rotation. Of course, getting familiarized with a new facility is always an adjustment. My new uniform consists of solely black scrubs instead of colorful shirts. My voice and tone changed a ton to accommodate my new population, which has mostly been the geriatric population from what I have witnessed thus far week. Though I have been there for one week only, I feel like I have already learned a TON of information. I have seen a variety of conditions, injuries, disabilities, and illnesses ranging from strokes, amputations, knee replacements, fractures, Parkinsons, and spinal cord injuries and surguries. No two patients have presented the same. Each patient has their own story about how they entered the facility. The things that I have observed my clinical instructor teach her patients thus far are things that I take for granted daily such as getting into my bed, transferring onto a toilet, showering, or dressing myself. These activities of daily living (ADLs) are a no-brainer for me to do, but for all of my patients, it can be so difficult to achieve these ADLs because they need extra time, an extra boost from another person, or need adaptive equipment to achieve these ADLs with ease and efficiency. I love that so far, most of what I have seen has been taught to me at one point during my didactic years. So shout out to my school for preparing me well enough to take on this new challenge for 12 weeks. I take comfort in being pretty familiar with OT in an inpatient rehab setting and that it is not a completely foreign territory so far. I am also gonna shout out the Palomar Pathmaker Internship that I did prior to starting grad school because I was also at an inpatient rehab facility doing shadowing hours, and I have seen a lot of overlap between that hospital and the place that I am currently at.

Documentation is always going to be an adjustment and a learning curve, and honestly the least fun part about OT. My favorite thing thus far has been helping patients achieve as much independence and function as they can or return back to. The amount of patients that have told me that they finally feel human again after our therapy session, whether it was learning how to use adaptive equipment for showering, dressing, etc. or making large strides in their recovery has been so heartwarming and reinvigorating. These patients have endured so many hardships, so the power of respectable care goes a LONG way in this setting. My patients have had incredible journeys that they have overcome in a short time. They have experienced a life that I have not, and I greatly admire their resilience under difficult circumstances.

Going into this fieldwork rotation, I feel like my energy and attitude this time around is different. I do not feel quite as scared and nervous as I did before, even though I can arguably say that this place is more physically demanding than my previous rotation. Of course, the nerves are there, but it seems easier to center myself back to confidence rather than spiral downhill (something that I struggle with at times, admittedly). I think grounding myself and gleaning on my inherent soft skills that were augmented in my previous rotation has helped a ton. My clinical instructor this week gave me an affirmation that made me reframe the way that I want to navigate this fieldwork. She said that I have my people skills down and not to worry because the clinical skills will come with time. Thus, even if I have a time when I am frozen and do not feel competent clinically, drawing on those soft skills with my patients I believe and hope will make all the difference in my sessions. Slowly, my education is coming full circle, and I am excited to see how I grow and learn as a professional after the end of my rotation and into my professional career later on. I thank God that I have been blessed with the opportunity to be a blessing to others in this field.

I will leave yall with one tip of advice that a patient told me on my second day. He first asked my CI and me about how much energy we spent on worrying per day. Of course, I know I personally exert a lot of energy toward worrying, but I couldn’t provide a measurable response. He said 98% of our energy goes to worrying, which was a shockingly super high number. Then, he said that one way to stop worrying is to verbalize the word STOP every time we have an intrusive, worried thought. He said we might look ridiculous constantly saying STOP out loud, but after 2 weeks of this practice, we would have more control over our thoughts to mentally stop worrying thoughts. According to him, from this practice, we can eventually train our brains to say STOP and release the concept of worry because worry does nothing for us but stresses us out. This was very fitting to hear my first week of this rotation especially because as a new student, there is always a need and tendency for us to be stressed, be a perfectionist, and to not fail at all. Though failing is not fun, it is through failure that I have learned the most and remember it for future application. My patient was very insightful and definitely dropped a gem I needed to hear. It is harder said than done, but if my patient can be as worry-free as possible despite his seemingly difficult condition, then I can also try to implement this practice into my daily life.

Overall, my first week in inpatient rehab has been a very pleasant and positive experience. I am excited to continue absorbing information like a sponge and to eventually start applying it to my own caseload I will start to adopt. Thanks yall for tuning into the blog! And remember, if yall are worried about anything, try implementing the STOP strategy. I will let you know how effective it was for me in 2 weeks 😉

Peace and love,

Irene  

Posted on in lifestyle, other cool topics!

Renrenspeaks Feature – The Banquet Hall Podcast!

Hello, Renrenspeakers! Happy Friday and almost end of August! How are folks doing? Feel free to send me a message! It has been a nice and relaxing month overall for me with a few stressors sprinkled in. Gotta have a few stressors to live life, right? I don’t have many updates for you all, but it has been a great social media week for Renrenspeaks. Renrenspeaks was featured in a PODCAST, friends! How fun, right? I had the wonderful opportunity to collaborate with an old friend, Kyler Nathan IV, whom I met at UC San Diego on his dynamic podcast, The Banquet Hall Podcast.

A little about Kyler’s podcast – it is “designed to highlight future leaders, influencers, entrepreneurs, artists, activists, and more, who are tired of looking for a seat at ‘the table.'” In his podcast, Kyler “invites each of [his] guests into the hall to share their journeys and aspirations as they grow into the fully bloomed version of themselves.” The podcast aims to “tell tomorrow’s stories, today.” I LOVEEEE what the pod stands for and for giving people the opportunity to share their beautiful stories!

I’ve been only featured in one podcast prior (shoutout to my friend Vay who started her pod journey in 2020), but this was the first time that Renrenspeaks got to share her voice verbally instead of in the written form yall are accustomed to. Through this podcast episode, yall finally get to know and experience the face and voice behind Renrenspeaks! Fun fact – when starting my blog, I contemplated making it a podcast. A loved one recently told me that I have the gift of gab (LOL) so I guess a podcast could have been pretty fitting. But yall know that I am a storyteller at heart. Hence, the podcast episode I was featured in was such a suitable name and speaks volumes to my content on this blog. This podcast episode was very fun and refreshing, as I got to chat about many memories such as the moment I met my grandparents in Congo, my love for travel, skincare, and photography, what OT is all about, and Renrenspeaks, of course. The goal of The Banquet Hall Podcast aligns well with some of my own content because I was graced with the opportunity to also highlight amazing stories through features such as my Black is Beautiful series and my Occupational Therapy Speaks series. Through the podcast, I learned that my voice is powerful and that my story speaks volumes to who I am as a person today. I am glad that Renrenspeaks was able to represent and shine through The Banquet Hall this week. Who knows, maybe Renrenspeaks will start embracing her gift of gab through a microphone one day. 😉

CHECK OUT MY EPISODE DOWN BELOW! It is available on multiple platforms! Renrenspeaks is on the map, yall!

Youtube link

Spotify link

Instagram sneak peak

Peace and love,

Irene

Posted on in graduate school, occupational therapy

What To Do With All This TIME! 

Hello, Renrenspeakers! Happy July! I just started my first week of my LAST YEAR of grad school, can yall believe that? It feels like I have been in school forever, but it also feels like it went by so quickly. The start of this semester has been so different compared to the previous two years. I have been doing a TON of reflecting this past week because I finally have… time! As a grad student, I’ve learned that time is so precious and time management needs to be on point. Throughout my schooling, I can pinpoint specific times where I told myself that I did not have time to do X, Y, Z. But now that I have transitioned to my last year of school, I have found myself with ample time to actually do things that I wrote down as goals in my Passion Planner at the beginning of the year such as exercise frequently, eat healthier, stretch, read, etc. To have time to breathe and not feel pressed for time has been so wonderful.

This first week has been such a relaxing one for me, as it has given me an opportunity to catch up on literally just existing and tapping into self-development. With the help of my Passion Planner and prayer, I’ve started off my day positively soaking in the natural sunlight radiating in my room (though it sucks because I cannot go outside because it is actually 115 degrees daily). I started incorporating oil pulling into my morning routine and committing to an 8-minute Good Morning Pilates stretch to promote flexibility throughout my body. Something that I have been really wanting to get back to is exercise. I used to be very consistent with moving my body regularly prior to school, but I fell off and realized that I had a rather unhealthy, unrealistic view on exercise in school. However, movement is powerful enough, and one of the easiest, low-demanding forms of exercise any of us can do is engage in walking if you do have the physical ability to do so. I started power walking on my treadmill, and listening to podcasts about wellness emphasize that walking fuels creativity and increases energy to do other things. Ideally, it would be nice to powerwalk outside, but hey, that’s Arizona heat for ya. Come September, you’ll definitely catch me outside. But wow, the power of walking has made me feel so lively, energized, and motivated. It really is a mood changer, especially with the stress of grad school. Thus, I am loving this new routine I am developing and hope to keep up with it! I ended my week with dressing up and watching the Barbie movie on Barbie day yesterday. It was such an entertaining movie – most definitely not what I expected, but great nonetheless. 

As a grad student, I am plagued with the familiar feeling of not being ‘productive enough’ because I only have two classes I am taking. However, having two classes is a good thing that is teaching me that it is totally okay to not always be on grind mode. Slowing down, enjoying being in the present, and having the time to be intentional with health and wellness has elevated my overall well-being, as I am already seeing the effects of establishing a healthy routine. School is unpredictable as always, but for these 10 weeks at least, I am going to soak up every moment of time that I have to finally engage in the things that I’ve intentionally or unintentionally eliminated in my life that are important to me. Cheers to having more time! 

Peace and love,

Irene  

Posted on in graduate school, occupational therapy

Second Year of Grad School Complete! Dr. Kwangaba, 66% loaded! Reflections on 1st Fieldwork Experience

Hello, Renrenspeakers! It has been a minute since I have updated you all on my life’s endeavors and adventures! How are you all doing? As for me, I am now concluding my first week of summer vacation. I finished my first three-month clinical rotation, which we call ‘fieldwork’ in occupational therapy school. What a positive experience it was! I did come into OT school thinking I would be a pediatric therapist, and though that narrowed vision of mine has somewhat changed over time, working with children and seeing how fun and excited they were to also work with me, Ms. Irene, was so rewarding!

I learned so much about myself through this fieldwork experience. Of course, I had my challenges such as being overwhelmed by documentation and managing my time wisely. I would say those two aspects were the hardest things for me that I had to juggle because it was a completely different learning curve that I had to quickly acclimate to. As a writer, I was tempted to write down every detail that went on in the sessions that I led. Realistically, being given about 10 minutes to write my notes and trying to do a pretty narrative is not a feasible option. I had to learn how to document using the SMART method, and it was something that just took mere repetition. Time is also something that we often take for granted that had to always be on my side to be efficient with my day. Every minute always seemed to fly by. So, shoutout to my Apple Watch because if it wasn’t for that thing, I would have been so behind.

I think my favorite moment from this rotation was the children that I was blessed to have interacted with, work with, and seen progress in over time, even if they were small wins. To see my clients be able to improve their motor planning and attention to tasks to improve their life skills such as washing dishes or folding laundry, or improve their bilateral and visual-motor skills for independent leisure skills with arts and crafts via handling and using scissors properly was very rewarding and motivated me to just be a better therapist to help even more of my clients. To think that I helped contribute to this change over time in their performance and helped increase their independence reigns true to the core of occupational therapy.

I always thought that I was somewhat creative, but boy, you have to be SO creative in pediatric OT. I will say, kids get bored so quickly and they notice way more than you might think, so creativity has to be on 10 100% of the time. My iPad came in handy (shoutout Goodnotes!) for finding different ways to make various arts and crafts or other materials that could support my clients’ goals in a fun and interesting manner. What I found really cool is that if I did an arts and crafts activity, for instance, I could address so many performance skills such as bilateral hand use, visual-motor, fine motor, and attention to task, just to name a few. Even everyday games such as Candyland could facilitate turn-taking, following directions, and other essential social skills, all skills that again, seem so intuitive to the average person. However, I witnessed how crucial these skills are for this population to obtain to build friendships, interact with others appropriately and positively, and overall be as independent as they can be.

I think that the biggest takeaway from my placement is that there is never going to be a direct right answer to challenges I may come across and that I do have the skills and demeanor that it takes to be a great occupational therapist. As a student, imposter syndrome is so real. There were so many times that I felt very stressed, unsure about myself, and felt like I was merely not being effective. And yes, there were so many times I literally did not feel like I knew what I was doing, I cannot invalidate that. However, the number of affirmations and compliments that I received from my community at my placement helped build my confidence as an emerging occupational therapist. I learned to put myself out there even if it was uncomfortable so that I can grow and not be stagnant in my learning experience. I also had to consistently remember that at one point, every therapist I worked alongside was in my shoes and that they also were a novice, feeling the same imposter syndrome and lack of confidence at one point in their early career. To me, it is totally OKAY to feel like an imposter and to acknowledge these feelings, as they will help me work toward unpacking this feeling and getting the support I need to tap into my own potential. Overall, I really am so glad that I was able to do my first Level 2 at an outpatient peds clinic. The support that I had along the way did not go unnoticed, and it helped me be less Type A about results and outcomes and to trust and enjoy the journey I embarked on.

All this to say, I definitely have a heart for the pediatric population. I still am an open book and am excited to learn more about other populations I will soon encounter in my next rotation. Establishing positive relationships with clients that will forever be a part of my grad school experience at this specific site was the perfect way to end my first rotation and conclude my second year of grad school.

Thank you all for reading my reflections and for your unwavering support as always. Dr. Kwangaba is officially 66% loaded!

Peace and love,

Irene

Posted on in occupational therapy

First Week as a Working Gal Reflection  

Hello, Renrenspeakers! Happy Saturday! Can you believe how fast the month has been flying by? We are officially in the spring season! So much has changed in my academic career since last week. Last week, I was finishing up my last finals EVER and preparing to transition to my clinical rotations. I am happy to announce that I have completed the first week of my clinical rotations. This galie is 1/12 weeks down from being a pediatric occupational therapist, woohoo! (Might I note, without the actual license nor the pay, haha!) 

The last ten weeks of school before starting my internship were ones that honestly burnt me out. I know I say I am always burnt out, but every semester is different. This semester required so much writing that I was pumping out at least 2-3 writing assignments every week while developing my capstone project AND preparing for my internship. Just get through it was literally my anthem this semester, and though it did not feel like it during that moment, I did get through it somehow! I honestly am kinda impressed with my ability to pump out back-to-back essays at this rate. It has been soooo nice coming home and not having to write essays or study or do homework for hours on end. I finally am feeling a healthy work-life balance, at least for now. Anyway, let me get back to the more exciting part of this post! 

So, I started my internship this week at a pediatric outpatient clinic. I felt a lot of emotions before starting – mostly excitement, but nervous anticipation of what was to come. I think I felt more comfortable going in because I visited my clinical instructor (CI) about two weeks before starting my internship, and it was one of the best things I could have done to calm my nerves. If you know a little about me, I am kinda a perfectionist, and I like to plan for things ahead of time. Yes, I note that the perfectionist thing is something that I have to work on, so I have been way more flexible with it and have learned to release some control – though I admit, I still have a long way to go. But no one’s perfect, right? When I visited my site, I got to observe a session and then chat with my CI and site coordinator who were both very kind and supportive of my hesitancies. There, I felt more empowered to start my internship with a positive, hopeful mindset.

During my first week, I have already learned a ton about the pediatric population. This has been an opportunity to put my learning in the classroom to the test and see how this translates to a natural setting with actual clients. So far, I do feel like my pediatrics course has prepared me well to take on this setting successfully. Working in an outpatient pediatric clinic so far has been such a fun and rewarding experience. I have always had an interest in working with the pediatric population and not gonna lie, I think the kids like me LOL, so I think that this site is a great fit for me thus far. I have met so many new little friends who embody so much excitement and joy. Kids are so funny, and they say the wildest things. Rapport building is instrumental to working with any client. For peds, I have had to pair myself as a super fun, energetic older friend to get the kiddos’ buy-in to therapy. Sometimes, it does put me out of my comfort zone to tap into my creative, child-like demeanor, but hey, I will do anything for therapy to be productive. The days go quickly for me, meaning that I am either getting a lot of work done, I am truly enjoying my time, or probably both! 

My Passion Planner gave me the following quote of the week which was absolutely fitting to how I should approach this 12-week rotation: Every artist was first an amateur by Ralph Waldo Emerson. Then, my week’s challenge was the following: Whenever you find yourself thinking that your goal is impossible, remember that all experts were once beginners. Take each mistake as a chance to learn and soon enough you, too, will succeed. Shoot, it is like my planner KNEW exactly how pivotal this week would be for me! I think that the combination of knowing that God’s got me and this quote of the week kept me stress-free, grounded, and confident for the week. I was in awe of how natural and fluid my CI’s therapy sessions were and was thinking about how much I had to learn and master in my 12 weeks of fieldwork. However, I constantly recentered myself when doubt started to creep in and reminded myself that she has so many years of experience and I am a baby clinician who will one day be an expert just like my CI. Thus, this week has been a very positive one filled with tons of learning and growth just from reframing my mindset to be one that uses mistakes to my advantage so that I can strive to be better in the future.

This upcoming week will allow me to start to lead more treatment sessions and really put my clinical skills to the test. Wish me luck! Though it is nerve-racking, I am hopeful to learn the skills necessary to be a great student pediatric occupational therapist. Cheers to fieldwork!

Peace and love,

Irene  

Posted on in Black Is Beautiful series, occupational therapy

Black is Beautiful Mini Blog Series Health Care Edition Part 4: Meet NANCY, OTR/L!

Hello, Renrenspeakers! Happy Saturday and last week of Black History Month! Can you believe that the month is already coming to an end? The month went by so fast! I hope that you all have been supporting Black folks throughout this month through actions such as reading these blog posts! Today I have such an inspiration to me on the blog. I had to save the best health profession for last (no shade to my beautiful Black allied health professions haha). Nancy, OTR/L will be concluding the Black is Beautiful mini blog series with her amazing story. Before we get into it, I am gonna hype up Nancy real quick because she is a person to have in your network!

Unlike everyone else that I have interviewed thus far, Nancy is unique in the fact that I did not meet her at UC San Diego, lol! When I was delving into my occupational therapy (OT) journey, I was desperately searching for Youtube videos on how to be the best competitive applicant and what the field of OT was all about. I came across her Youtube channel, LovelyyOT. After watching her first video, I was hooked. She shared gems and unique insight regarding her experiences as a travel OT, an OT in a SNF, and an OT in entrepreneurship. Nancy is so intelligent and has so much wisdom to give. She further inspired me to pursue OT, as she gave me the confidence as a Black future OT to share my story and to be an advocate for our profession. Moreover, she is so selfless. She took time out of her busy schedule to read my personal essay and give me feedback, which was so kind of her to do and served as a confidence booster throughout my application process. She truly is goals and is making waves in OT. Below is her story. Let’s get into it!

Irene: What is your name/pronouns?

Nancy: Nancy Yamoah, she/her

Irene: Give us a quick synopsis of who YOU ARE! 

Nancy: I am a God-loving Ghanaian and occupational therapist, specializing in adult geriatric rehabilitation. I am popularly known as LovelyyOT on social media. I’m your favorite OT Auntee with all the tea lol. 

I’m a visionary, founder of the Therapist of color/TOC network, created for people of color therapists and students, and co-founder of BLACK IN REHAB. I am also the author of 3 E-books for therapists. My business provides consultation for students and clinicians as well as yearly workshops for new grads. 

My goal is to continue to inspire other healthcare professionals to do more with their degrees and live on purpose, be their true authentic self as well as create a better healthcare system for older adults.

Irene: Choose three words that come to mind when you define “Blackness”. Define each word in relationship to Blackness. Why did you choose these three words?

Nancy: Bold, resilience, beautiful

For you to be authentically Black you have to be bold. This world tries so hard to imprison Black people – the way we talk, walk, dress, etc. The way we show up is constantly criticized, so for me it’s important that am bold in my blackness.

Resilience because it takes strength to be Black. You have to be internally strong.

Beautiful because Black is beautiful, from our skin to our features. The way we are is beautiful.

Irene: What is the MOST beautiful thing about being Black to you?

Nancy: My skin color and my heritage/culture. I am Ghanaian and I love the richness of my culture and my background. The way we speak, our accents, our food, our cultural outfits, who we are is everything. 

Irene: How has your experience been as a Black person in your respective field thus far? 

Nancy: Like I always tell others, life experience can happen to you or you can enjoy it and be a full participant in life experiences. I always choose the latter; my blackness in healthcare has been a wonderful experience because I take an active role in making that happen in every way you can think. I speak up and advocate when needed, I ask for the money I deserve and I will correct you on everything even if you say my name wrong. We get to choose everyday to be victims or conquerors. 

Irene: How do you plan on showing up for the people as a Black person in your respective field? 

Nancy: I have started many platforms and events on social media for both Black and POC and I will continue to support them in this way. Black in rehab is one that I am a co-founder of and very proud of. If you are interested in becoming a rep in your city, contact me. 

Irene: Any advice, gems, or words of encouragement for future Black people who want to pursue your field? 

Nancy: Refer to answer 5, and do not let your color determine what you can or cannot accomplish. This world is your oyster; show up and speak up for yourself. You deserve to walk into a room and pull up a seat. Remember that your power is not in what others gave you permission to do; it is in what you give yourself the permission to do. Don’t wait to be invited! Initiate, create, move. 

Irene: What is one of your favorite songs that fit/exemplifies that Black is Beautiful?

Nancy: African Queen by 2face and Black is Gold by Wale

Irene: How can we support a fellow amazing Black person like yourself? Do you have any projects, businesses, creations, etc. that you are working on that you would like to speak briefly about and/or that we can support?

Nancy: Black in rehab – we have an in person event every Juneteenth weekend in a different state. Join us on IG. We will start hosting more events throughout the year as well. See you in ATL this year.

I also have 1:1 consultations for new OTs. You can book that via Instagram as well as other services and ebooks I have on Lovelyy_ot on IG. 

Irene: Can folks connect with you to learn more about you/support you? If so, please drop your social media info down below!

Nancy: LOVELYYOT on all social media platforms including Youtube.

Irene: Anything else you want us to know about you or anything you want to share with the readers? Feel free to drop it down below! 

Nancy: Be yourself, be unapologetically BLACK! Refrain from the need to prove yourself. You don’t need to prove nothing to anyone. You are enough for whatever dreams you may have.

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Yall, isn’t Nancy such an iconic woman? So well-versed in so many settings, so many platforms, and most importantly, she connects to so many people. Support our favorite OT Auntee! Her consultations are so helpful! I will be a new grad next year (whoohoo) so best believe I will be reaching back out to my OT Auntee for her guidance. I have yet to meet Nancy in person buuutttt these Black networking events across the nation is something I am going to have to hop on so that we can finally meet! Black in Rehab – what an uplifting space! If yall get the chance to go to ATL this summer, definitely check the event out!

My goodness, does the Black is Beautiful mini blog series really have to end? I am so sad! This has been such a fun series to put on for you all and I have been blessed to have reconnected on a deeper level with all of my interviewees. Each person is so special to me and honestly, we could really all just start our own interdisciplinary clinic and treat people in our communities. I have thoroughly enjoyed featuring all of these amazing individuals on my blog and I hope that you all come away from this series further understanding the vastness of Blackness and how glorious our melanin is. We are the people who are at the frontlines treating you all and helping to restore yall back to health and well-being, remember that! Thank you all again too for supporting me by reading this blog, sharing it with others, and following me on Renrenspeaks on Instagram! Please subscribe as well to get the latest scoop on the content I have coming your way! Stay Black Blackity Black, yall!

Peace and love,

Irene

Posted on in Black Is Beautiful series, race and ethnicity

Black is Beautiful Mini Blog Series Health Care Edition Part 3: Meet CAMBRIA!

Hello, Renrenspeakers! Happy Saturday and third week of Black History Month! How have you been honoring Black people so far this month? I hope one of the numerous ways has been through reading these blog posts that I have for yall! Today I have an incredible person on the blog who I admire so much. Cambria is up next in the Black is Beautiful mini blog series! Before we launch her interview, I am gonna take us back to memory lane and briefly highlight our connection!

Like everyone on the mini blog series thus far, I met Cambria at UC San Diego (college was an opportune time to make connections, I am telling ya!). I was always drawn to Cambria’s kind, sweet, and chill spirit. We were in organizations together such as the Black Student Union and had other mutual leadership roles in Black spaces in college. I remember when she switched over to my major, Human Development, our bond started to grow. We took the same Human Development classes together and got to know each other on a deeper level. It was so refreshing to see another Black face in my classes. Cambria was always a great hype woman and support system, encouraging and affirming me when school got challenging. She really shines as a light in all of her endeavors and radiates such positive, infectious energy. She is also SUCH a hard worker, yall. I am telling ya, she is a go-getter for real. With that being said, I hope that you all get to see her light exude as we delve right into her story!

Irene: What is your name/pronouns?

Cambria: Cambria Anderson, she/hers

Irene: Give us a quick synopsis of who YOU ARE! 

Cambria: I’m from Victorville, CA and currently living in Washington, D.C. attending Howard University College of Dentistry. I went to UC San Diego and graduated in 2018 with a Bachelor of Arts in Human Developmental Sciences and a minor in African American Studies. I’m currently in my second year of school at Howard and my goals are to become a cosmetic dentist and open a clinic where dental care is offered with access and affordability in mind, and to create mentorship and career opportunities for Black dental students in the SoCal area. 

When I’m not in class, simulation lab, or neck deep in lecture notes, I like to watch movies, read, get active, get creative with a decor project for my apartment, or try something new in the DMV area. My “why not, might as welllll” attitude about going outside gets me in trouble with my friends all the time lol, but there are so many community events, markets, film screenings, mixers, day parties, etc that I’ll take every opportunity to experience when I get it. I also have a DC bucket list that I’m trying to work through before I graduate in 2025 – so far I’ve seen all the monuments and the museums are up next!

Irene: Choose three words that come to mind when you define “Blackness”. Define each word in its relation to Blackness. Why did you choose these three words?

Cambria:

Beauty: Across the diaspora, there’s so much beauty in our various cultures, languages, histories, styles, etc. There’s so much to appreciate about the Black experience globally and what we have been able to retain and create in the face of oppression and anti-Blackness and its best attempts to strip us of that.

Creativity: I feel like this is self explanatory, the way our minds work is just…wow lol. We are literally so dope at everything we do!

Pride: My last word is an affirmation from the movie Cool Runnings that came to mind. When I think of Blackness, I see pride, I see power, and I see bad*ss mothers who don’t take no crap off of nobody.

Irene: What is the MOST beautiful thing about being Black to you?

Cambria: That it’s something that you have to experience to really know. Our style, how we create community anywhere and everywhere, the way we talk, inside jokes, our expressions and figures of speech, even the way we can communicate with each other without saying a single word. It’s a gift to be Black to be honest, and even though so many try to imitate it, it can never be duplicated – we’re the blueprint for real!

Irene: How has your experience been as a Black person in your respective field thus far? 

Cambria: Going to Howard for dental school has had a positive impact on my start in the field. Learning from Black faculty and being surrounded by Black peers is empowering and creates a supportive environment, and it is so motivating to see rooms filled with people who look like you opposed to my undergrad environment where I was often one of the only Black students in the room. Black dentists make up about 3-4% of all dentists in the U.S., so I am really soaking up every moment here at Howard before I start to work in the field because it won’t always be like this. Also, my classmates and I are starting to see patients this summer, and I am excited to understand more of what it means to care for my community. From what I’ve experienced, patients place a lot of gratitude and trust in us and that adds so much meaning to what I am able to do for them.

Irene: How do you plan on showing up for the people as a Black person in your respective field? 

Cambria: In college I volunteered in the UCSD PDS free dental clinics, and we served the elderly, children, and those who were homeless, uninsured, and veterans. As a result, the majority of our patients who represented these groups were Black. I credit this as the moment that shaped my goals and gave me a vision for the kind of dentist I want to be. My priority is to address disparities in oral health and create access among marginalized communities by opening a community clinic like those I served in, leading community workshops that educate on preventative oral health practices and destigmatize dentistry as painful and anxiety-inducing, and creating a network with other professionals both within and outside of the healthcare field to refer out patients for other necessary services to address overall health as part of a holistic process. I also want to form partnerships with Black dental student organizations at UCLA, USC, Western University, and Loma Linda University to offer mentorship and clinical experience through service in my clinic. My hope is to create a community for dental students like the one I’ve been able to experience through my time at Howard because it’s been key in my learning and growth thus far, and because I remember what it’s like to find comfort and a sense of relief in seeing another Black person in a mostly non-Black space. 

Irene: Any advice, gems, or words of encouragement for future Black people who want to pursue your field? 

Cambria: Never lose sight of your ultimate goal because despite the obstacles and detours, not following the traditional track, or not having the strongest GPA or DAT scores, what’s for you is for you and you will become the dentist you dream of being! Make sure to seek out mentorship from dentists in the field who will allow you to shadow and gain experience under them, and keep in contact with them because their wisdom is invaluable. Finally, find and remember your why. This is a difficult career to pursue and in those moments where you feel discouraged, tired, or unmotivated (and you will, unfortunately) you have to be able to go back to your sole reason for doing this and remind yourself of the big picture. Remember that these moments do not define your potential or the trajectory of your career, and that you’re destined for all the greatness that you dream for yourself. Nothing or no one can take that away!

Irene: What is one of your favorite songs that fit/exemplifies that Black is Beautiful?

Cambria: Golden by Jill Scott is probably one of my favorite feel good songs that just reminds me to walk in my power as a Black woman, and of course Brown Skin Girl by Beyoncé.

Irene: How can we support a fellow amazing Black person like yourself? Do you have any projects, businesses, creations, etc. that you are working on that you would like to speak briefly about and/or that we can support?

Cambria: Unrelated to my career goals, I have a podcast with my friends called Four Deep and we just dropped our first episode on Apple, Spotify, and YouTube! We are four young Black women in their 20 somethings who aren’t afraid to get deep with it as we discuss life, relationships, careers, and personal development. You can follow us on Instagram, @fourdeeppod.

Irene: Can folks connect with you to learn more about you/support you? If so, please drop your social media info down below!

Cambria: Feel free to follow me on Instagram, @flygalcam or email me at cnande96@gmail.com / cambria.anderson@bison.howard.edu!

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First of all, SUPPORT CAM ON HER PODCAST! I am a podcast junkie, so to see my friend have her own podcast sharing gems and fly girl content is just the icing on the cake. I give her props for balancing a quality podcast while attending dental school full time. It is not an easy thing to do, but of course, if anyone can do it, it is Cambria. Also, it sounds like Cambria literally has the most optimal occupational balance as a dental student. What I’m hearing is that she is the girl to hit up when in D.C. because she has all the plugs! I am also just literally so proud to see the journey that she’s taken to get to dental school because as we have witnessed thus far through the blog posts I’ve been sharing or just through other Black people’s accounts, it is not easy to be Black pursuing a health care profession. The fact that we make up no more than 5% of each respective field is so problematic, so to see people like Cambria actively shifting those statistics is so empowering.

Thank you all so much for tuning into the blog! I really hope that yall enjoyed Cambria’s interview as much as I did. It gave me a kick of inspiration and motivation to continue along my own journey as an occupational therapy student. Part 4, and unfortunately, the last post for my Black is Beautiful mini blog series is live next Saturday, so please remember to be on the lookout! Again, subscribe to my blog and follow me on Instagram at Renrenspeaks for updates! Continue to love on Black people!

Peace and love,

Irene

Posted on in Black Is Beautiful series, race and ethnicity

Black is Beautiful Mini Blog Series Health Care Edition Part 2: Meet CAMERON!

Hello, Renrenspeakers! Happy second week of Black History Month! What is one thing that has brought you joy this past month? For me, it has been connecting with incredible Black individuals at my school and through this blog! We are BACK with another blog interview. Next up in the series is my friend, Cameron who is doing phenomenal things in the field of medicine. Before we start the interview, let me throw yall back to how Cameron and I connected!

I met Cameron during my time at UC San Diego and always thought he was such a cool dude that was very kind and poised. We were also in the Black Student Union together, and we really got to bond over our mutual love for health care. I remember he interviewed me for his enlightening research project back in 2017 regarding Black students and Black health, specifically looking at what social and environmental factors influenced their aspirations to pursue medicine and other health professions. Of course, he contributed GREAT discourse at UC San Diego and to the field of medicine in general! I won’t get too much into it because I want HIM to highlight his many projects and publications. Cameron is a super cool guy, yall, and I am so glad we were able to reconnect to collab on this series for BHM! I am excited for yall to read more about his story down below!

Irene: What is your name/pronouns?

Cameron: Cameron Clerkley, He/Him

Irene: Give us a quick synopsis of who YOU ARE! 

Cameron: Chill, funny and down to earth (so I’ve been told), Bay Area raised (Hayward), sports head (especially basketball), passionate about family, community, serving others and mentoring, love going to movies and concerts, and world traveler.

Irene: Choose three words that come to mind when you define “Blackness”. Define each word in its relation to Blackness. Why did you choose these three words?

Cameron:

  1. Afro-Diaspora – This can represent anyone around the world who identifies with their roots in Africa (since descendants from Africa are everywhere).
  2. Royalty – This represents how I see Black identity because we deserve to think of ourselves in that light as exceptional individuals who deserve praise for our excellence.
  3. Oppressed – This, unfortunately, is because regardless of how you personally identify, if others see you as Black, you are subject to the forms of discrimination for being Black, a universal Black experience that has transcended centuries and geological boundaries.

Irene: What is the MOST beautiful thing about being Black to you?

Cameron: My hair – I love how thick and creative it is. It is difficult to manage at times, but it makes me feel good and proud and unique in the world.

Irene: How has your experience been as a Black person in your respective field thus far? 

Cameron:

  1. Lonely – There aren’t too many Black physicians on my clinical rotations or even just roaming the hospital, but my goal is to help fix that.
  2. Empowering – Because every time another Black person sees me in the hospital, we greet each other or they share words of encouragement to me and the impact of my presence.

Irene: How do you plan on showing up for the people as a Black person in your respective field? 

Cameron: My presence and excellence will demand respect for Black individuals that are not traditionally represented in medicine, and my mentorship to the future generations will hopefully increase our representation in the field.

Irene: Any advice, gems, or words of encouragement for future Black people who want to pursue your field? 

Cameron: You are enough and you are capable, you are unique and that in itself will take you far, you have so much to offer that is unique to being Black, lean into that and ignore anyone who tells you not to – anything you pursue in life will have challenges, so might as well shoot for the moon and pursue your passions/things that bring you joy.

Irene: What is one of your favorite songs that fit/exemplifies that Black is Beautiful?

Cameron:

  1. Say it Loud – James Brown 
  2. Brown Skin Girl – Beyonce, Wiz Kid

Irene: How can we support a fellow amazing Black person like yourself? Do you have any projects, businesses, creations, etc. that you are working on that you would like to speak briefly about and/or that we can support?

Cameron: Share my article to anyone who would identify with/learn from the experiences shared and/or have the capacity to support the cause of uplifting aspiring Black doctors (link- SSVMS – Pursuing Medicine While Black )

Irene: Can folks connect with you to learn more about you/support you? If so, please drop your social media info down below!

Cameron:

  1. @camclerkley11 on Instagram
  2. clclerkley@ucdavis.edu / camclerk11@gmail.com 

Irene: Anything else you want us to know about you or anything you want to share with the readers? Feel free to drop it down below!

Cameron: Irene Kwangaba was a big contributor to the insight and inspiration of my article and entire medical journey since I met her in undergrad. We need more blogs like this one and more people doing similar work as this.

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I am telling yall, how cool is Cameron! I hope you all enjoyed learning about Cameron as much as I did and the amazing ways that he is uplifting Black doctors through whole publications! To see it flourish from a UC San Diego research project to a publication in Sierra Sacramento Valley Medicine is such an accomplishment. UC Davis is blessed to have Cameron as part of their student body, I hope they know that!

Thank you all once again for tuning into the blog today! Remember to support Black people not only this month but every single day, as our voices deserve to be lifted and celebrated consistently. Part 3 of my Black is Beautiful mini blog series – health care edition – will be released next Saturday with another amazing person that I am so excited to highlight! Also, make sure you all follow the Renrenspeaks Instagram page for updates on all of the great things Renrenspeaks.com has in store for you all! Stay Black, friends!

Peace and love,

Irene