Velvet Voices for September 25

YoNasDa (Yo-Naja-Ha) LoneWolf, born during the American Indian Movement’s Longest Walk in Washington, DC. She is Oglala Lakota and African American. Her late mother, a Lakota (Sioux) Wauneta Lonewolf was a renowned motivational speaker, substance abuse, gang prevention counselor and healer. Her father, who is African American, is a fine artist. YoNasDa is a National Community Organizer/Human Rights Activist and a motivational speaker. Being self-driven she is living her divine calling from her early beginnings in the entertainment industry as a rap artist and choreographer for BET’S own Teen Summit to her most recent work as an active activist and a voice against any injustice that affects people worldwide. She has used entertainment to bring awareness on the condition of oppressed people whether it’s releasing two albums and touring with Wutang Clan or performing at the Annual Gathering of Nations Pow Wow and Festival she walks in many cultural paths.

Nandita is an Atlanta based, Indian origin food writer, globally known best-selling author and a newbie podcaster. Her foray into culinary explorations began as a response to a frequently asked question simplistic sounding question, “Do you make curry?” Dispelling the myth of Indian curry through her work, in the last ten years alone, she has authored several heritage quality cookbooks, a biographical fiction novel, taught Indian several cooking classes and found readers and followers all over the globe. Her podcast, “Ten Thousand Tongues” based on her bio-fiction of the same name debuted at #2 by Fried Toast, right after NPR. “Ten Thousand Tongues” was also named one of 6 best food based feminist biographies on Fupping. Nandita’s extensive work explores the Indian culture, life experiences and the place of food stories in immigrant narratives. Her unique perspectives have created room for mentions in Forbes and on CNN, she was interviewed for BBC-Futures, NBC, and NBC-Asian America, and her articles appear in Brown Girl Magazine, Huffington Post (USA & India), and others.

TaRessa Stovall is a Seattle born author/blogger/identity and anti-racism activist who aspires to elevate the conversations around who we are and how we can better work together for positive, progressive change in the world. The author of several fiction and non-fiction books, TaRessa is the proud mother of two creative Millennial young adults. She lives in Atlanta.