Actress and award-winning fertility advocate Kellee Stewart prioritizes her happiness in every chapter of her life. Kellee shares with Ashley how the painful ending to a long-term relationship was the catalyst for her decision to freeze her eggs. Although this decision was not originally in her plans, she talks about how her fertility journey led her closer to God, to herself and provided an opportunity to build the family she always wanted. Kellee believes her willingness to pivot and grow in t...
Sep 18, 2023•43 min
Best-selling author Ashley C. Ford was raised in survival mode. In her conversation with ABFJ, she talks about the impact of growing up with an incarcerated father and a fraught relationship with her young, single mother. Without the safety of a nurturing caregiver, Ashley grew up believing she only had herself to count on. Years later during an eye-opening therapy session, Ashley discovered she was still holding onto a childhood desire for a close bond with her mother. As an adult who now under...
Sep 11, 2023•44 min
From a very young age, author and media executive Michelle Hord longed to become a mother. When she gave birth to a beautiful baby girl named Gabrielle, Michelle was living a dream fulfilled. Seven years later, after losing her daughter at the hands of her ex-husband, Michelle found herself living her worst nightmare. In this deeply moving conversation, Michelle talks to Ashley about her memoir The Other Side of Yet , where she describes how she rebuilt her life after unthinkable tragedy. Drawin...
Sep 04, 2023•44 min
Hailing from modest beginnings in Rio de Janeiro, ballerina and activist Ingrid Silva discovered her aptitude for dance at the tender age of eight. In her conversation with Ashley, Ingrid describes feeling free the very first moment she stepped on stage. From there, the precocious but shy dancer promised herself she would push past her fears and be brave enough to follow her dreams. Ingrid’s gift took her all the way to New York City’s competitive Dance Theatre of Harlem where she faced many cha...
Aug 28, 2023•44 min
Author and Poet Arielle Estoria hasn’t always recognized her worth. In her vulnerable conversation with Ashley, Arielle explains how engaging in constant comparison throughout her life made her feel small. While uplifting other women with inspiring words always came naturally to her, Arielle often struggled to encourage herself. Raised as a pastor’s kid, the poet also reveals how ignoring the beauty of her body to focus solely on the Biblical rules that governed her soul led to living a “very di...
Aug 21, 2023•42 min
In the Season 2 Trials to Triu mphs premiere, Grammy-nominated R&B singer and songwriter Ari Lennox sits down with Ashley during the 2023 Essence Festival in New Orleans. Both DMV natives, they discuss their childhood and humble beginnings as artists navigating survival jobs until landing their big breaks. Ari opens up about her battles with anxiety, some of her lowest moments, and what tools she leans on to embrace growth. She confides in Ashley about the importance of being accountable for her...
Aug 14, 2023•53 min
Trials To Triumphs Season 2 Starts August 14th! New Episodes Every Monday!
Aug 07, 2023•10 sec
Our host flips the script and answers burning questions from Trials to Triumphs listeners! Find out the three things Ashley would take to a deserted island, how she decompresses after a long day, and where she would’ve worked if she did not pursue acting. Ashley also discusses navigating the entertainment industry as a dark-skinned Black woman, preparing for marriage, and the power of trusting your intuition. Want more podcasts from OWN? Visit https://bit.ly/OWNPods You can also watch Oprah’s Su...
Mar 27, 2023•40 min
After the former stockbroker was rejected by investors on NBC’s Shark Tank, she channeled her disappointment into an opportunity to reinvest in her beauty brand and Black women. Melissa tells Ashley about growing up in Detroit and being inspired to make products that catered to and celebrated Black beauty. She was determined to succeed after seeing both her mother and father incarcerated during her childhood and reveals how the experience of purchasing her first car as a teenager taught her a le...
Mar 20, 2023•32 min
Actor Marque Richardson (Dear White People) no longer operates in “survival mode.” The Netflix star tells Ashley how experiencing homelessness at a young age hindered his self-confidence, impacting his self-worth personally and professionally. An eye-opening conversation with his parents during the early days of the global pandemic led to a greater awareness of his family’s dynamic and of the coping mechanisms that were holding him back. After intentionally shedding old mindsets and unpacking he...
Mar 13, 2023•40 min
Author, professor and researcher Dr. Joy DeGruy encourages Ashley, and each of us, to have “more than hope” for the future, and to honor the determination of past generations by finding our purpose. She believes moving beyond resilience to radical joy is the rightful inheritance of Black Americans. She and Ashley discuss how family has inspired their sense of purpose and why “there are many roads that lead to healing.” She shares an emotional past experience with her two adult sons that connecte...
Mar 06, 2023•31 min
A “No” can devastate and feel like a dead-end. But often “No” is simply redirection. In this anthology episode, Ashley Blaine Featherson-Jenkins revisits conversations with Curlbox CEO and founder Myleik Teele, award-winning Actress Danielle Brooks, and Comedian and Executive Producer Robin Thede. Each woman transformed rejection into a pivot and used it to create greater opportunities. The testimonials in this special episode demonstrate the power of “No” and confirm that, when embraced, a “No”...
Feb 27, 2023•43 min
When actor, writer and director Yvette Nicole Brown left Cleveland for Los Angeles she wanted to be a singer but fell in love with acting. Since then, she’s starred in the popular sitcom Community as well as Drake and Josh , The Mayor and The Odd Couple . In her conversation with Ashley, Yvette shares how she decided to be honest about her age in an industry that punishes women for turning 30. After losing her mother, Yvette rediscovered the power in her own testimony. She views her ability to b...
Feb 20, 2023•41 min
When Tabitha Brown became a young mom, she feared her Hollywood dream was over. The actress and vegan food influencer tells Ashley she resigned herself to living a “regular life” in Eden, North Carolina, until God told her He had a different plan. Fueled by a renewed vision, Tabitha returned to LA confident enough to shed unhealthy Hollywood beauty standards (that had led to hiding her Southern accent and natural hair) and ready to be her authentic self. Now a best-selling author with over 4 mil...
Feb 13, 2023•41 min
The accomplished artist’s life changed dramatically after she was commissioned to make the official portrait of First Lady Michelle Obama for the National Portrait Gallery. But this was no overnight success. Amy tells Ashley about the sacrifices she made along the way, including working as a waitress for 15 years while honing her skills. She describes feeling eclipsed as she watched friends achieve important milestones in their personal lives and careers. She also opens up about letting go of th...
Feb 06, 2023•43 min
In this anthology episode, Ashley Blaine Featherson-Jenkins reviews some of the lessons her dear friends shared on the show from their motherhood journeys. She looks back at how Actress Aja Naomi King’s son taught her the power of letting go, how teaching her son about forgiveness challenged Grammy winner Kelly Rowland to grow, and how acclaimed actress Sonequa Martin-Green’s children helped her heal after losing both parents. This special episode celebrates motherhood, its joys, its pains, and ...
Jan 30, 2023•39 min
Globetrotter and bestselling author of The Catch Me If You Can, Jessica Nabongo has always valued freedom. The record-breaking traveler and Ashley reflect on their shared experiences of being raised by parents who encouraged their independence at a young age. This sense of autonomy cultivated the boldness Jessica called upon to take major risks, like abandoning a successful corporate career to explore the world. Empowered by the belief that “everything in life is a choice,” Jessica refused to su...
Jan 23, 2023•40 min
Tunde Oyeneyin is no stranger to change. She was a successful makeup artist for 15 years before becoming a Peloton Instructor, Nike Athlete and Author of NY Times Best Selling book, Speak: Find Your Voice, Trust Your Gut, and Get from Where You Are to Where You Want to Be. Tunde chats with Ashley about moving on from what she thought was her dream job and about how a cycling class changed not only the trajectory of her career, but moved her into alignment with the life God had prepared for her. ...
Jan 16, 2023•40 min
Best-selling author Nedra Tawwab has a fresh perspective on boundaries. In this eye-opening conversation, the sought-after relational therapist breaks down why setting clear boundaries is an essential form of self-care. She tells Ashley that doing so is less about saying “No” to others and more about saying “Yes” to ourselves. Nedra explains how boundaries define our needs and shows us how implementing practical tools, like open communication, can help us live more authentically.
Jan 09, 2023•40 min
She won one of the most challenging reality TV shows, but her biggest victory was learning to love and accept her “weird” self. In this uplifting interview, Maryanne shares with Ashley how being an outsider has elevated her purpose in the long haul. The challenges she faced growing up as an immigrant taught her to take risks and to “show up” as her true self. As only the second Black woman to win Survivor in the show’s 42 seasons, Maryanne acknowledges that she gained something more valuable tha...
Jan 02, 2023•37 min
Trials to Triumphs host Ashley Blaine Featherson-Jenkins is joined by her close friends Nia Jervier, Courtney Sauls, Tiffany Johnson and Yaani King Mondschein for a kiki about new motherhood, dating, changing careers and learning to enjoy each season of their lives. Ashley’s self-described “Destiny Advocates” share the moments they realized they could be themselves with each other and how they lean on each other for support through personal challenges. The friends take us back to the beginning o...
Dec 26, 2022•42 min
Adventurer and author Zim Flores went from living on a shoestring budget to building multiple successful niche businesses. In her conversation with Ashley, Zim confesses that even as children, she and her brother were like “little grown adult kids.” She kept cultivating an independent spirit as she explored many career paths. From the university biology lab where she cloned a gene, to her experience living full-time in India, Zim discovered a talent for diving into adventure which evolved throug...
Dec 19, 2022•38 min
Before creating Now with Natalie and Beyond the Surface, Natalie Manuel Lee shed her former identity as a woman of faith who stayed in her comfort zone. The HIllsong Channel star tells Ashley she gained a new understanding of “death” as she recounts leaving her brother’s leading fashion label, Fear of God, to discover her own purpose as a vessel for fearless conversations. Natalie describes her “coldest winter ever” surviving postpartum depression and how that dark season helped her blossom. The...
Dec 12, 2022•42 min
The author, professor and public speaker describes how tackling fears and accepting failures has changed her life—in the best possible way. But Ashley cringes at the word failure, so Luvvie offers a new perspective on how shortcomings can create “a better version of you” in the long run, opening up opportunities for growth. Luvvie and Ashley get into why one of the best cures for self doubt is affirming the trust others have in you when they’re “loaning their power” to you. One of Luvvie’s bigge...
Dec 05, 2022•40 min
Trials to Triumphs host Ashley Blaine Featherson-Jenkins always knew she was destined to inspire others. In this special live episode, Jennifer Pauline, founder of With Creators, interviews ABFJ about how evolving her career helped fulfill that destiny. Ashley recalls her agent’s cautionary words when she first moved to LA: the road to success is “an uphill battle.” Over the years, that wisdom propelled Ashley whenever she felt stuck. Today, with this show and other opportunities, she continues ...
Nov 28, 2022•43 min
In this episode of the Real Good podcast, host Faith Salie sits down with Center for Economic Inclusion Founder and CEO Tawanna Black to talk about how anti-racist action on a local and regional scale incites widespread change, and why diversity and inclusion is good economics. If you like what you hear, listen and subscribe to Real good wherever you get your podcasts!
Nov 23, 2022•1 hr 7 min
The mother of two and CURLBOX founder underscores how looking at things differently has allowed her to achieve her dreams and approach motherhood with grace and intention. Myleik talks with Ashley about learning to “sit with that discomfort” of rejection and allowing herself to be bold to create opportunities for herself. Myleik stresses the importance of playing the long game and embracing career pivots. She says working gigs that she was overqualified for eventually led to reaching her dream j...
Nov 21, 2022•38 min
Television and podcast host Kamie Crawford has been in the spotlight her entire adult life. And though it has meant praise and success, fame hasn’t been easy. In her conversation with Ashley, the former Miss Teen USA relishes being a role model for her younger sisters and other Black girls, an honor she feels destined for. Kamie talks about the difficulties of being perceived as not being ‘Black enough’ or thin enough to be considered a Black Teen Miss USA. Now, Kamie lives confidently in her ow...
Nov 14, 2022•41 min
Best-selling author Alex Elle is the first to acknowledge that learning to love and be loved has been a lifelong effort for her. The renowned speaker tells Ashley that her mother-in-law was “the first woman to make me feel worthy of love.” She recounts her earliest memories of receiving that unconditional love, and admits that she didn't think she was capable of loving others before she met her husband. “I needed to be willing to love myself,” she says, before she could receive love. The healing...
Nov 07, 2022•42 min
Navigating risks and uncertainty has been a major theme in CNN Anchor and Senior Political Correspondent Abby Phillip’s career. Often the only Black woman in the room, Abby confides in Ashley how she overcame imposter syndrome and gained the confidence to show up and shine in spaces that have not always welcomed her. Abby celebrates her parents, immigrants from Trinidad and Tobago, who took big risks for their children and encouraged her own approach to life and motherhood today. Abby also refle...
Oct 31, 2022•40 min
