On this episode of Professional Troublemaker, Luvvie is talking to the Founder & CEO of Uncharted Power , award-winning scientist Jessica O. Matthews . Her list of accolades is amazing. Jessica has two degrees from Harvard, Forbes 30 Under 30, Harvard Scientist of the Year, listed on over 12 patents and patents pending, including her first invention of the SOCCKET – an energy-generating soccer ball she invented at the age of 19. But Jessica is a professional troublemaker, not just for all sh...
Jan 12, 2021•1 hr 26 min•Season 2Ep. 2
Welcome to the Professional Troublemaker podcast. As we’ve been preparing to launch Luvvie’s new book Professional Troublemaker into the world, we’ve been auditing and examining everything we do. We want to make sure that the content we create and the things we offer are the best of what you need to do better. In this episode, Luvvie talks all about where this new name comes from, defines what a professional troublemaker is, and why it is so needed right now. You’ll get a peek into the kinds of ...
Jan 05, 2021•10 min•Season 2Ep. 1
Every week, Luvvie interviews guests like Bozoma Saint John, Gabrielle Union, Glennon Doyle, Donna Brazile, Sarah Jakes Roberts, Tarana Burke and Elsa Majimbo - people who are committed to disrupting what is unjust for the greater good. People who take up the call of the late, great John Lewis, who charged us to “Get in good trouble, necessary trouble.” Luvvie Ajayi Jones is a TED speaker, 2x New York Times bestselling author and podcast host who thrives at the intersection of humor, technology ...
Jan 01, 2021•2 min
On this episode of Rants & Randomness , we’ve got a big announcement. As we’ve been preparing to launch Luvvie’s new book Professional Troublemaker into the world, we’ve been auditing and examining everything we do. We want to make sure that the content we create and the things we offer are the best of what you need to do better. When we looked at the podcast, we realized something. Rants & Randomness had grown up too. We weren’t doing the rants anymore. And the interviews have become mo...
Dec 23, 2020•8 min•Season 1Ep. 53
This week on Rants & Randomness , Luvvie is talking to veteran TV journalist and host Cari Champion . After working for nearly a decade at ESPN where she served as a SportsCenter anchor and host of ESPN Two's First Take, Cari made history earlier this year with her move to VICE TV, working alongside co-host and former guest of this podcast, Jemele Hill, as the first Black women to host a late-night cable show. Cari is also the host of her own podcast, called The Brownprint and she co-hosts T...
Nov 10, 2020•1 hr 18 min•Season 1Ep. 52
In this episode of Rants & Randomness , we’re talking all about Election Day in the United States. We’re talking about the importance of voting, what to watch for and be aware of today as you go vote, and why we need to be patient and vigilant today and for the next few weeks. Follow @Luvvie everywhere – Instagram , Facebook , Twitter . Check out her New York Times best-selling book I’M JUDGING YOU: The Do-Better Manual! And be sure to pre-order PROFESSIONAL TROUBLEMAKER: The Fear Fighter Ma...
Nov 03, 2020•12 min
This week on Rants & Randomness , Luvvie is talking to Abby Wambach, two-time Olympic gold medalist and FIFA World Cup champion. Abby was the US leading scorer in the 2007 and 2011 Women’s’ World Cup tournaments and the 2004 and 2012 Olympics. She’s the New York Times bestselling author of Forward: A Memoir and Wolfpack: How to Come Together, Unleash Our Power and Change the Game, as well as the author of the recently released young readers edition of Wolfpack . During their conversation, Lu...
Oct 20, 2020•1 hr 15 min•Season 1Ep. 51
On this episode of Rants & Randomness , Luvvie’s guest is Stephanie L. Young. Stephanie serves as chief officer for culture, communications, and media partnerships at When We All Vote , a nonpartisan voting initiative launched by Michelle Obama. She has years of communication experience in the public and private sectors with organizations such as the Obama White House, where she worked for years, Congressional Leadership, NBCUniversal Cable Entertainment, and BET. During her time in the Whit...
Oct 13, 2020•1 hr 10 min•Season 1Ep. 50
In this episode of Rants & Randomness , Luvvie is talking to storyteller and photographer Brandon Stanton - the man behind Humans of New York. After being fired from his job as a bond trader in Chicago, Brandon moved to New York City to start Humans of New York in 2010. The website and social media accounts feature portraits of people in New York City and their stories. He's the author of two number-one New York Times bestselling books, Humans of New York , and Humans of New York: Stories , ...
Sep 29, 2020•1 hr 26 min•Season 1Ep. 49
On this episode of Rants & Randomness , Luvvie is talking to wellness expert, author, podcaster (and according to Luvvie) magical unicorn Devi Brown. Devi is the Chief Impact Officer at Chopra Global, and is certified in Primordial Sound Meditation, Spiritual Psychology and Energy Healing. She regularly teaches in LA, as well as leads retreats and events internationally. After over a decade of working in hip hop entertainment as a radio and TV host, she answered her calling to become an advo...
Sep 22, 2020•1 hr 7 min•Season 1Ep. 48
In this episode of Rants & Randomness , Luvvie is talking with the brilliant Austin Channing Brown . Austin is a speaker, writer, and media producer providing inspired leadership on racial justice in America. She is the author of New York Times' bestselling I’m Still Here: Black Dignity in a World Made for Whiteness - recently chosen as a Reese Witherspoon Book Club pick -and the Executive Producer of web series The Next Question . This is an amazing and energetic conversation, talking about...
Sep 15, 2020•1 hr 24 min•Season 1Ep. 47
In this episode of Rants & Randomness , Luvvie is talking to Nigerian pop star and Afrobeats queen Tiwa Savage. With more than two decades in the music industry, Tiwa is having a huge moment right now. She wrote and performed a song on Beyoncé's The Lion King: The Gift album and the Black is King visual album, made her US television performance debut, and just dropped her latest studio album, Celia . Named after Tiwa's mom, Celia is packed full of songs you want to listen to and dance to, an...
Sep 01, 2020•48 min•Season 1Ep. 46
In this episode of Rants & Randomness , Luvvie is talking with her friend Sophia Bush . In June, Luvvie was one of four founding members of an online initiative called Share the Mic Now where 50 Black women took over the accounts of 50 white women for the day, getting billions of views around the world. Sophia shared her IG account with Luvvie that day, and this episode is taken from a live conversation that they had the next day on IG Live. This episode is an excerpt from that IG Live conve...
Aug 26, 2020•46 min•Season 1Ep. 45
On this episode of Rants & Randomness , we’re sharing an excerpt of an IG Live Luvvie did last week on fear and imposter syndrome. Luvvie had a recent conversation with her boo Bozoma Saint John (@badassboz ) on how imposter syndrome changes and shifts during your career and the LuvvCousins in LuvvNation and folks who saw the live on Instagram had a lot of follow up questions about it. This bonus episode goes into those follow up questions and has Luvvie preaching on how imposter syndrome is...
Aug 18, 2020•30 min
On this episode of Rants & Randomness , we’re sharing an excerpt of a Chat and Chill Luvvie had with Dr. Yaba Blay. Chat and Chill is a gathering Luvvie will hold with her community on LuvvNation on Friday nights. Everyone grabs their snacks, shows up at the computer in their coziest auntie robe, and hangs out for great conversation. This episode is an excerpt from one of those great conversations. We’re bringing you Luvvie’s chat with Dr. Yaba Blay ( @fiyawata ). She’s a scholar, Profession...
Aug 11, 2020•1 hr 2 min•Season 1Ep. 44
On this episode of Rants & Randomness , we’re sharing a recent IG Live where Luvvie is diving into the behind the scenes of getting the book deal for her second book, getting it written in the middle of a pandemic, why a book proposal is the most critical thing you need when it comes to writing a book, and is answering questions on the tools and processes that helped her get it done. If you have something you want to get done, and it’s sitting on your heart (whether it’s writing a book or no...
Aug 04, 2020•52 min•Season 1Ep. 43
In this episode of Rants and Randomness, Luvvie is having a conversation with Gabrielle Union - actress, activist, and author. She's been speaking out about injustice throughout her career, as a leader and advocate for inclusion in the Entertainment industry. She is also a champion of breast health and combating sexual violence. Gabrielle talks about being a Black woman in Hollywood – why those big hit movies early in her career didn’t change much for her career trajectory and what her experienc...
Jul 15, 2020•1 hr 2 min•Season 1Ep. 42
A white woman feels challenged or uncomfortable about something a Black person said or did. Instead of using her words, she cries. Instantly. No matter what the initial catalyst of the situation is, she ends up being appeased, pacified, and pampered. In this bonus episode of Rants and Randomness, Luvvie is revisiting a previously published piece that starts getting shared on social every time another Becky weaponizes her tears against a Black person. READ: About the Weary Weaponizing of White Wo...
Jul 07, 2020•16 min
In this episode of Rants and Randomness, we’ve got a little bit of a twist. Instead of Luvvie doing the interviewing, she’s the one begin interviewed. After being a guest on his Influential Personal Brand Summit and podcast, Luvvie wanted to share this interview from Brand Builders Group Co-Founder Rory Vaden . Rory and his team at Brand Builders Group specialize in helping people get clarity on their purpose and uncover their uniqueness so they can use that to serve the world. Luvvie is talking...
May 05, 2020•35 min•Season 1Ep. 41
In this episode of Rants and Randomness, we’re sharing an interview that was so good, it needed to stand on its own. Today, Luvvie is talking with Courtney A. Kemp. Courtney is a television writer and producer. In 2014, she created the Starz series, Power , the most-watched original series on Starz with millions of viewers. She was also a writer on shows like The Bernie Mac Show , The Good Wife , and Beauty and the Beast . Courtney is one of the most powerful women in television. In this convers...
Mar 31, 2020•1 hr 4 min•Season 1Ep. 40
In this episode,, Luvvie is feeling good about learning on Instagram that one of her followers sharing that named her daughter after Luvvie. She rants about finding out that we are learning in the wake of COVID-19 that hand washing was not happening for far too many people, and gives a PSA to WASH YOUR HANDS. And since we need some good trash TV to watch right now, Luvvie is spotlighting Love is Blind on Netflix in case you need some can’t-look-away, bingeable TV while you're socially distancing...
Mar 17, 2020•1 hr 5 min•Season 1Ep. 39
In this episode of Rants and Randomness, Luvvie is feeling good about Renegade dance creator Jalaiah Harmon getting the props she deserves for creating the dance and is loving seeing her perform everywhere from the NBA All-Star Game to Ellen . She rants fighting the FOMO that pops up when we think we need to be on all the social media platforms. Luvvie is pointing her random spotlight on her favorite apple juice – Martinelli’s – because it’s the best and she loves it. (not sponsored – it’s just ...
Mar 03, 2020•57 min•Season 1Ep. 38
In this episode, Luvvie is feeling good about Hair Love winning the Oscar for Short Animated Film and that Parasite was the first non-English language film to win Best Picture. She’s also feeling good about getting to write a piece in The New York Times. She rants about disinformation and how we're so quick to spread fake news and news that's not accurate or well thought out. And it’s critical to be aware of this in an election year. Meanwhile, Luvvie is spotlighting the Netflix documentary She ...
Feb 18, 2020•1 hr 11 min•Season 1Ep. 37
We forget that life is short. Until something reminds us that life has to be lived loudly and urgently. That waking up and starting a new day each morning is a privilege. And we need to treat each other better. On this bonus episode of Rants and Randomness, Luvvie walks through The Five Stages of Social Media Grief when a celebrity dies. There are so many ways we can do better in this space and this episode is here to start a conversation around how we can do better. READ: The Stages of Social M...
Feb 04, 2020•27 min
Good group trips don’t just happen. They're planned. And Luvvie is adept at planning trips from 3 people to 30. In this BONUS episode of Rants & Randomness, Luvvie is partnering with Airbnb and breaking down the do's, the don'ts and the crucial things you must remember to plan an amazing group trip with friends or family, where people don't end up hating each other. (And when you've got that trip planned and you're ready to start packing, check out Luvvie's Travel Essentials page to get the ...
Jan 21, 2020•52 min
In this episode, Luvvie is feeling good about the holiday season finally being here! She rants about the over-glorification of homeownership and the pressures we put on ourselves to buy. She speaks of the benefits of renting and how we can all afford to take a second look at our finances to see the options that work best. Meanwhile, Luvvie is spotlighting Humans of New York . Finally, she chats with influencer, public speaker, media personality and entrepreneur, Tai Beauchamp . You can follow Ta...
Dec 10, 2019•1 hr 14 min•Season 1Ep. 36
In this episode, Luvvie is feeling good about her second book deal, The Fear-Fighter Manual ! In this follow up to her first book, I’M JUDGING YOU: The Do-Better Manual , Luvvie will tackle fear and expose the life limiting havoc this emotion can inflict on our lives when it goes unchecked. She rants about how oversaturated the TV streaming services market is, Disney+ being the latest culprit. Luvvie gives a special shout out to Lit Brooklyn , one of her fave candle companies. And, she steps int...
Nov 26, 2019•1 hr 14 min•Season 1Ep. 35
In this episode, Luvvie is feeling great about being the cover girl for Munaluchi Bride Magazine’s fall 2019 issue . She rants about tantrum-throwing adult-toddlers that feel the need to announce when they “officially unfollow” someone. And she spotlights the Podcasting 101 video series she’s hosting with Sean Rameswaram, in partnership with Google and PRX. She then dives into an amazing conversation with Tiffany “The Budgetnista” Aliche , award-winning teacher of financial education and founder...
Nov 12, 2019•1 hr 15 min•Season 1Ep. 34
Luvvie is back and is now a wife! In this episode, she talks about how she married her favorite person, in two ceremonies in one day. It was a whole production, and in this episode, she answers questions people have about how she and Mr. Jones were able to pull all that off. Her guest is the wedding planner extraordinaire, Akeshi Akinseye , CEO and Creative Director of Kesh Events . The two take a deep dive into the process, discussing budget, realistic planning and how Akeshi makes magic happen...
Oct 29, 2019•1 hr 29 min•Season 1Ep. 33
In this special tribute to the legend Toni Morrison , Luvvie explores the impact Ms. Morrison had on her as well as the life-changing effects the book Sula had on her as a young eighth-grader. Luvvie pays homage to the utter glory we share by being alive in a time where Ms. Morrison’s truth-telling gift elevates us all to do better. And so, Luvvie takes a moment to honor Toni Morrison: First of Her Name. Architect of Words. Acclaimed Author. Teller of Truths. Shifter of Culture. Netter of Nobel ...
Aug 09, 2019•5 min
